Russia’s diversity an ‘all-conquering force’ – Putin

Russia’s ethnic and cultural diversity is an “all-conquering force” that many people outside the country fail to grasp, President Vladimir Putin has said. He added that attempts to sow discord within Russia or misrepresent it as a colonial power are doomed to failure. Putin made the remarks on Friday during a virtual meeting with a body that advises him on ways to support ethnic minorities and ensure positive relations among the myriad groups represented in the country. “Our nation was built on the value of multinational harmony. It’s the most important foundation of our consolidation, which only becomes stronger in the face of foreign pressure and threats,” the Russian president said. Without stating specific countries, Putin dismissed Russia’s adversaries as “people with neocolonial thinking, dimwits in fact, who do not understand that this diversity makes us stronger.” “When they talk about us, they think about themselves and imagine that we are like them. They say Russia has to…