MOSCOW, Dec. 30 (UPI) — Officials throughout Russia will receive a 400-page book of “prophetic” quotes by President Vladimir Putin titled “Words That Change the World” as a New Year’s gift.
The book was sent to up to 1,000 people by one of Putin’s top aides, Vyacheslav Volodin. Members of Duma, regional governors and civil society representatives received the book, which includes the text of 19 speeches by Putin and key quotes that “predicted and preordained” world events.
Volodin said the book should be seen as a guide to the Kremlin’s “values and guiding principles” and has recommended it as “required reading for any politician.”
Network, a pro-Kremlin youth movement, edited and published the book. Anton Volodin told business newspaper RBK that Putin’s words can be “prophetic.”
“We noticed that everything Putin says to some extent comes true,” Volodin said. “Putin’s words can be described as prophetic.”
The Kremlin has distanced itself from the project, with Putin’s spokesman Dmitry Peskov stating he has not heard anything about the book and therefore can’t answer questions about it, BBC News reports.
Quotes in the book include one from 1999 about terrorists, where Putin said “we will waste them in the outhouse.” Another: “I drink kefir,” a popular yogurt drink.
The book includes Putin’s speech to a global security conference in Munich in 2007:
“Russia — we — are constantly being taught about democracy. But for some reason, those who teach us do not want to learn themselves,” Putin said, The New York Times reports, singling out the United States for its use of military force, “that is plunging the world into an abyss of permanent conflicts.”
“This is extremely dangerous,” Putin said, adding “No one feels safe!”
