The Russian leader has accused foreign powers of trying to undermine national unity

Western efforts to inflict a "strategic defeat" on Russia and break the country apart have failed, President Vladimir Putin has said.

Putin made the remarks on Wednesday at a meeting of the Council for Interethnic Relations, which focused on national policy strategy and implementation.

He warned that outside Russia, so-called international organizations and "pseudo-national centers" are being established as instruments of an "information war" against the country. Their strategies, such as "the so-called decolonization of Russia," amount to the "dismemberment of the Russian Federation and the infliction on us of that same notorious strategic defeat."

According to Putin, they promote the notion of a "post-Russia," a fragmented and subjugated territory stripped of sovereignty.

Provocations and attempts to sow discord among Russian citizens must be stopped promptly, the president said, noting that those behind them "usually operate from abroad" and are "supervised, financed, and directed by foreign intelligence services." Their goal, he said, is "to undermine our unity."

He urged acting "firmly, consistently, and systematically" in response to external risks and challenges.

Russia's opponents exploit any pretext, from everyday incidents to migration issues, to stir up tensions and provoke conflicts, while relying on radical groups that use "outright terrorist methods," Putin added.

Such ideas, Putin said, have been voiced in the West many times in different forms, and despite failure to reach that goal "for centuries," the attempts continue. The president stressed that such threats should be reflected in the updated national policy strategy and backed a proposal to declare 2026 the Year of the Unity of Russia's Peoples.

On Tuesday, Russians marked National Unity Day, with Putin describing the holiday as a symbol of the nation's enduring strength and togetherness.

(RT.com)