Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Wednesday that Russia has the “best democracy” and lashed out at those who criticize Moscow for its handling of domestic political affairs.
“We will no longer tolerate criticism of our democracy and claims that it is not the kind that it should be,” Peskov said during a talk at the World Youth Festival in southern Russia's Krasnodar region.
“Our democracy is the best and we will continue to build it,” he added.
Peskov’s remarks came a week ahead of Russia's presidential election, which President Vladimir Putin is all but guaranteed to win as he faces no real competition on the ballot.
During his talk at the World Youth Festival on Wednesday, Peskov also touched on concerns about nuclear war breaking out between Russia and the West, saying that “a nuclear war is a last resort.”
But, he added, Russia is ready to use nuclear weapons “if something threatens its existence.”
“All discussions about nuclear war, of which there are now a lot in the West, European capitals and the United States, are extremely irresponsible and extremely dangerous because this issue is being routinized,” he said.
Putin is scheduled to give an “open format” talk at the World Youth Festival later on Wednesday.
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