Putin puts brave face on Russian aid to Syria, Iran

RUSSIAN President Vladimir Putin faced down Israeli criticism yesterday, saying Russia's planned sale of anti-aircraft missiles to Syria and supply of nuclear components to Iran does not threaten Israel's security.

Mr Putin spoke on the second day of his historic visit to Israel - the first trip here by a Kremlin leader - before going into a meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon.

Addressing Israeli fears that he's affecting the region's balance of power, Putin urged Iran to do more to show the world that it's not trying to build a nuclear weapon. He also pledged to tackle the growing problem of anti-Semitism in his country, saying "there can be no place for xenophobia, anti-Semitism or other forms of racial or religious intolerance" in the 21st century.