By BI: “There are no ‘moderate’ terrorists,” says the Russian president. “Some countries (like the United States) use a double standard – they claim to be fighting against terrorism, yet they are using so-called ‘moderate’ terrorist groups as a battering ram to overthrow disliked regimes.”

Speaking about the situation in the Middle East at the Valdai discussion forum, Putin said “Why play with words dividing terrorists into moderate and not moderate. What’s the difference?” None.

A whole “snarl” of terrorist groups act in the region, who fight also against each other for “sources of income” and not for ideology, Putin said, the weapons provided by (America) to “moderate” opposition in the region had ended up in the hands of terrorists.