Putin says Russia must not lose national identity, urges people to have more children, areas in demographic crisis to receive financial aid-BBC

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12/12/12, "Putin says Russia must not lose its national identity," BBC

"Russian President Vladimir Putin has said Russia must not lose its national identity, in his annual state-of-the-nation address in Moscow.

"Not only should we develop confidently but keep our national identity, and not lose ourselves as a nation," he said in the live broadcast.

He urged more births, saying a family with three children should be the norm.

There would be greater financial support for families in regions worst hit by the demographic crisis, he said.

Appealing to patriotic feeling, Mr Putin pointed out that Russia had no worthy monument to its dead of World War I, an event largely eclipsed by the October Revolution of 1917. It is his first such speech since being re-elected in March for a third term following a winter of political protests.

His return to office has been accompanied by a crackdown on dissent with the arrest of opposition activists and introduction of restrictive legislation."...

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