Russia:Russian president Vladimir Putin accused foreign governments yesterday of sponsoring his opponents in next month's election to weaken Russia and carry out "dirty tricks" against it.
Mr Putin warned that victory for his United Russia party in the December 2nd parliamentary election was the only guarantee that the chaos that followed the collapse of the Soviet Union in the 1990s would not return.
"Unfortunately there are still those people in our country who still slink through foreign embassies . . . who count on the support of foreign funds and governments but not the support of their own people," Mr Putin told thousands of cheering supporters at a pro-Kremlin rally.
These political enemies, he added, wanted to divide Russia.
"They need a weak and feeble state. They need a disorganised and disoriented society, a split society, so that they can carry out their dirty tricks behind its back."
Thousands of young activists at the US-style election rally chanted "Russia!" as Mr Putin, dressed in a dark suit and black polo-neck sweater, boasted of soaring economic growth and strengthening the armed forces.
With Soviet-era songs blaring, the mostly young crowd of about 5,000 waved flags and chanted support for Mr Putin (55), a former KGB spy who is by far Russia's most popular politician after eight years of strong economic growth.
"Victory for Putin is victory for Russia!" read a huge poster at the sports arena. - (Reuters)