Putin blows his top: Russian President Vladimir Putin was recorded yelling and cursing at his cabinet ministers during a meeting, according to a leaked video.
The Christian Science Monitor reported that Putin blew his top because the ministers and officials failed in delivering on their election promises.
A video recording of the incident was taken in secret after Putin told journalists to turn off their cameras.
“How are we working? The quality of work is extremely low,” Putin said in the video, according to the Monitor. “If we’re going to work like that then we'll achieve [nothing].”
Putin then said that he may fire all of them if the officials fail to make improvements.
The New York Times reported that the secret video suggests that Putin might be looking to replace his cabinet and Prime Minister Dmitri Medvedev.
“If we do not, it will be necessary to come out and admit it — either I am not working effectively, or all of you work badly and you have to go,” Putin said, according to the Times. “I call your attention to the fact that, today, I am inclined toward the second option! I think this is clear. So that no one has any illusions.”
The video was originally published by the LifeNews.ru tabloid website, which did not name a source for its behind-closed-doors video.
The Kremlin then blasted LifeNews for leaking the video.
“The essence of what the president said is somewhat distorted,” Putin spokesman Dmitri Peskov said, according to ABC News. He said that Putin was threatening regional officials who were present, not his cabinet ministers.
