Moscow not "pushing" Yanukovych anywhere - Putin
SELIGER, Tver region. Aug 29 (Interfax) - Viktor Yanukovych is a former Ukrainian president and Moscow has never pushed him to the presidential position, Russian President Vladimir Putin said at the Seliger 2014 youth forum.
"As to former President Viktor Fyodorovych Yanukovych, we did not push and did not advance him anywhere," Putin said when commenting on the opinion that Yanukovych was Moscow's protege.
"I want you to know this: so that this is known in Russia and in Ukraine, no such thing has ever happened," Putin said.
Russia always supports the existing authorities in any country, the president said.
"We are not like some of our partners. They probably behave more pragmatically in this regard and put eggs in different baskets. And moreover, Americans do this: if authorities are loyal to them somewhere, they always work with the opposition and even incite it a little against the existing authorities, so that even if these authorities are loyal to them, they become even more loyal," Putin said.