India, June 28 -- President Vladimir Putin has accused Western nations of actively encouraging separatism and turning a blind eye to terrorism targeting Russia, intensifying his criticism of the West amid the ongoing Ukraine conflict.

Speaking to reporters in Minsk, Belarus, on Friday, Putin alleged that Western countries have long ignored terror attacks in Russia as long as they harm Moscow's interests. "No one wants to pay attention to the Islamic State when it targets Russia - explosions in Moscow and all that. This continues even today. Everything is fine, as long as it is directed against Russia," he said.

He further charged that Western powers had previously "encouraged separatism" within Russia as part of what he described as the...