Putin in castration controversy

EU leader’s sat beside Russian president Vladimir Putin at a press conference in Brussels unaware he was threatening Islamists with castration.

Russian translators balked at interpreting Mr Putin’s words after a French journalist asked him if Russia’s plan to eradicate terrorism in Chechnya would not also eradicate the civilian population.

The revelations have created severe embarrassment in the EU, where there was a stormy meeting between Mr Putin and EU heads on the Chechnya war. Both sides could not even agree on a joint statement.