Russia should rule out provocations caused by inter-confessional differences - Putin

Russia should prevent any provocations stemming from inter-confessional differences, President Vladimir Putin said at a meeting with representatives of religious communities, TASS reports.

"As we see, the situation in certain countries is complicated and we can see what the activities of various provocateurs, those who, under the cover of the freedom of expression, offend the feelings of believers and those who use it as an excuse to justify violence and intolerance might bring about," Putin said.

According to Putin, "the result is the same, as conflicts are growing in society as a snowball and they could be smoldering for years or decades."

"We should, must do our best together to rule out in principle such a scenario in our country," he said.