"Bedbugs Won't Come In" Putin Scoffs at EU's Sanctions on Russia

EU Prepares 12th Sanctions Including Nails and Needles
Putin Criticizes "Hitting Own Economy and Jobs"

The European Union (EU) imposed its 12th round of sanctions on Russia, prompting Russian President Vladimir Putin to mockingly say, "The likelihood of bedbugs coming in has decreased."

Vladimir Putin, President of Russia [Image source=Yonhap News]

On the 2nd (local time), according to U.S. political media Politico and Russian state news agency TASS, President Putin made this remark during a government meeting on economic issues the previous day, stating that Russia must prepare in advance for the West's intensified sanctions.

Putin targeted the EU, saying, "The West has gone mad with sanctions to an absurd level," adding, "There are even proposals to ban the export of needles and screwdrivers."

He continued sarcastically, "The fewer the junk items (exported by Europe) that come in, the better," explaining, "Because the chances of bedbugs being imported into Europe's major cities will decrease."

President Putin's remarks came as the EU prepared its 12th round of sanctions against Russia, restricting exports such as welding machines, chemical products, and diamonds. He criticized the additional EU sanctions pressure by pointing to the bedbug problem spreading recently in Paris, France, and London, UK.

In particular, it is reported that Lithuania, an EU member state on the Baltic Sea coast hostile to Russia, proposed including nails, thumbtacks, pins, sewing needles, and knitting needles among the restricted export items, which seems to have prompted this sarcastic comment.

Regarding this, President Putin also claimed, "Over the past few years, so-called our partners (the EU) have imposed countless sanctions," adding, "They tried to punish us, but as statistics show, they only ended up damaging their own economy and jobs."

Bedbugs Appear in Public Transportation in Paris, France and London, UK

Since last month, bedbugs have appeared in large numbers on public transportation such as subways and buses in Paris, France, and London, UK, leading to numerous reports from users. On the 7th of last month, bedbugs were found in 17 schools across France, causing seven of them to close temporarily. Authorities have rushed to conduct pest control, creating a chaotic situation.

Regarding this issue, French intelligence agencies accused Russian authorities of spreading fake news that appears to be written by major French media, thereby stoking fear of bedbugs.