The German government has vowed not use the Russian leader’s official title, having criticized the election process
FILE PHOTO: Dmitry Medvedev. © Sputnik / Pavel Bednyakov
Berlin’s decision not to refer to Russian President Vladimir Putin by his proper title in government documents is ridiculous and possibly a sign of a mental disorder, officials in Moscow have said.
The diplomatic snub was announced on Monday in an effort to discredit last week’s presidential election in Russia. Germany and other Western nations claim the electoral process was neither free nor fair. A government spokesperson said the move was symbolic, noting that communications between Berlin and Russia were severely limited anyway.
Reacting to the news, former Russian president Dmitry Medvedev said the stunt “comes from shameful weakness.”
He claimed that Germany was essentially saying “We cannot affect the outcome of the election… but just to spite them we need to make some stupid statement.”
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If Germany does not recognize Putin as the legitimate head of Russia, how does it intend to negotiate with Moscow and what value would any outcome of such talks have, asked Medvedev, who is the deputy head of Russia’s Security Council.
Meanwhile, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said the decision not to use Putin’s official title looked like the result of a self-induced “wild phobia,” an inability to name the source of one’s fear.
”This is something that differentiates a healthy person from someone who is not. They appear to be in a state of paranoia,” she remarked during an interview.
Western rhetoric following Putin’s re-election had contrasted with the reaction of most nations of the world, which had congratulated the president, Zakharova noted. The US and its allies should “take care of themselves and their problems” instead of picking on other sovereign states, she suggested.
READ MORE: Putin brushes off Western election rebukes
The Russian president has dismissed Western criticism of his election win, claiming that it was made in bad faith by governments seeking to contain Russia.
”What did you expect? For them to stand up in applause or something? They are fighting against us, including with arms,” Putin said following his victory.
