MOSCOW. May 25 (Interfax) - A number of Western media outlets are making attempts "to convince Russians that the ruling circle of Russia is wrong," but "this would never work," says Russian presidential chief of staff Sergei Ivanov.
"I've noticed over the past couple of years that there's a sort of blacklisting process... mostly in the American and British papers which I respected for quite a long time," Ivanov said in an interview with RT published early on Saturday.
Ivanov contented that the accusations leveled at high-ranking Russian officials are groundless. "If there are any allegations concerning me personally, please put them forward. Where am I corrupt? Where are my huge profits? Where are my houses in the UK or the United States? It's easy to prove," he said.
At the same time, Ivanov said he was sure that what he views as a campaign against the Russian elites started by a number of Western media outlets would not attain its ends.
"I know a lot of people who are close to Putin. For example, Foreign Minister Lavrov is my good friend. Defense Minister Sergey Shoigu. The head of the [Federal] Security Agency Alexander Bortnikov. The present National Security Advisor, Nikolai Patrushev. I can vouch for them. I have known them for years, as well as I know President Putin. And I am convinced that all slanderous statements in our address are aimed at one thing: to convince the Russians that the ruling circle of Russia is wrong. But I am absolutely sure that this plan would never work. That's it," he said.
"Such media cannot enjoy respect of those who are serious enough and are capable of analyzing information," Ivanov said.
The Ukraine crisis could have been the possible reason for the anti-Russian campaign in Western media, Ivanov said. "They are unhappy about the developments in Ukraine, although I'd like to stress that it were not we who started this - we only reacted to what the other side started. Logic suggests that the reason is precisely this one," he said.