Putin says he doesn't care what the Kerch Bridge is called; he is only worried about getting it built. Says the bridge, after it is built, will be "very useful" for Ukraine as well as Russia if relations are normalized.
After joking about "on which side" of the ocean the WSJ reporter was referring to in his question about possible early presidential elections in 2017, Putin answered by saying, "It is possible, but inexpedient."
Next question comes from a reporter from the Ukrainian region of Crimea, which Russian annexed in 2014. Asks what Putin thinks about how Crimea is developing. Asks about plans to provide electricity and natural gas in order to accelerate development. Asks about the Kerch Bridge, which is under construction.
Putin says Trump said often during the campaign that he wanted to bolster the US nuclear arsenal. Putin says Russia is already stronger than any potential "aggressor." Says modernization of the nuclear arsenal is part of Russia's overall defense modernization. Includes all three legs of the nuclear triad. New land-based missiles, new submarines, new air-based systems. In "strict accordance" with all international obligations. Notes that US unilaterally withdrew from the ABM (Anti-Ballistic Missile) treaty, which was a cornerstone of the international order.
“When you are at the Putin’s press conference and have to laugh at his jokes.”
Wall Street Journal asks about Putin's comment from yesterday to improve Russia's nuclear arsenal. Asks whether Putin meant the construction of new types of nuclear weapons, whether there will be new nuclear-weapons test, whether Putin's comments were a response to U.S. President-elect Trump's comments about bolster U.S. nuclear arsenals.
Wall Street Journal reporter gets first question from a foreign media outlet.
Putin's answer on the Nemtsov investigation: "I fully support the investigation into the case (of Nemtsov's killing). I hope that all the people involved and those guilty off that crime will be found. Unfortunately, officials and representatives of law enforcement structures sometimes commit crimes. That happens not only in Russia, but abroad as well. An example is the killing of our diplomat in Turkey. You know who killed him [a police officer]. I know that all the high-profile cases in Russia are being investigated to the end. The killing of (Galina) Starovoitova, for instance. Unfortunately, the killing of Mikhail Manevich has not been investigated to the end yet. It is still not clear who did it. I knew him personally ....