Hotline to the President Russia.Part 9
December 19, 2002
Moscow, Khabarovsk, Chelyabinsk, Ovsyanka village (Krasnoyarsk Territory), from the village Tolbazy (Bashkortostan), Vladikavkaz, and Bor (Nizhny Novgorod region), Dushanbe, Stavropol, Dubna, Kaliningrad

Прямая линия с Президентом России
19 декабря 2002 года
Москва, Хабаровск, Челябинск, д.Овсянка (Красноярский край) с.Толбазы (Ð'ашкирия) Ð'ладикавказ, Ð'ор (Нижегородская область), Ð"ушанбе, Ставрополь, Ð"убна, Калининград





Question: Vikor Konyaev from Vladikavkaz, Russia, one of the veterans of World War II, and holds the Order of Glory.



Vladimir Putin: You are experienced and wise. And it's not a coincidence that you raised the issue that is the key to our state. Because in such a multi-ethnic country like Russia to keep the peace between the races and maintain the status quo that existed here centuries ago, as I mentioned, it is very important to maintain our state. This is a national is very important.

Of course, we see in some cases, signs of xenophobia and hate crimes. This can not be tolerated. Authorities must act vigorously.

You mentioned the attack on the people of the Caucasus in the market places in Moscow. I can tell you that charged all participants and instigators of the unrest, which led to the death. There are five of them and sentenced them all to jail.