Prime Minister Putin criticizes US Senator John McCain's recent claim that Russia faces its own "Arab Spring".

Vladimir Putin on Thursday responded to a comment from US senator John McCain, who warned the Russian prime minister of an 'Arab Spring' approaching Russia, saying "McCain took part in the US-Vietnam war... he's got enough blood of peaceful civilians on his hands". 

On Dec 6, two days after the allegedly flawed parliamentary elections in Russia, McCain wrote in Twitter: 'Dear Vlad (Vladimir Putin), The ArabSpring is coming to a neighbourhood near you.' 

Asked what he thought about McCain's statement, Putin said it was directed against Russia but not him personally. "Some people want to move Russia aside so it does not interfere in the ruling of the world," Putin said during a question-answer session. He said western countries were 'afraid of Russia's nuclear potential'. 

"It is not a secret that McCain took part in the US-Vietnam war... He's got enough blood of peaceful civilians on his hands. He probably cannot live without these disgusting scenes of Gaddafi's murder when all the world's channels broadcast how he was killed," Putin said. 

The prime minister said he did not like 'democracy' that shows how Gaddafi got murdered. 

"It's well known that Mr. McCain was captured in Vietnam and was locked not just in prison but in a hole, where he was imprisoned for several years. Any person would have bats in the belfry after that," Putin said.