MOSCOW — President Vladimir V. Putin, in a blunt response to U.S. criticism of his domestic and foreign policies, declared Wednesday that Russia would boost its military strength to ensure its ability to resist foreign pressure.
In an annual address to parliament, Putin said new nuclear and high-precision weapons would enable the country to maintain a strategic balance with the United States, which he compared to a wolf -- the archvillain of Russian fairy tales -- doing as it pleases in the world.
"As they say, 'Comrade Wolf knows whom to swallow,' " Putin said. "He swallows without listening to anyone. Nor does he intend to listen to anyone, judging by all appearances."
Despite the strong language on international and military issues, the bulk of the speech focused on domestic policies. Putin called for wide-ranging measures to reverse Russia's sharp population decline, including giving nearly $10,000 to women who have a second child.
Putin's comments did not seem to signal a return to Cold War hostility so much as a bid by an increasingly self-confident nation to engage in tough bargaining on international issues and to reject interference in its domestic politics.
"We have slipped toward Cold War rhetoric quite a while ago, and such passages in Putin's speech are nothing new in that sense," said Georgy Satarov, president of the INDEM Foundation, a Moscow think tank that seeks to promote democratic values.
In Washington, the White House reacted sharply to Putin's address.
"We're still analyzing the speech, but we are disappointed that it did not address the concerns that many people have raised about Russia's commitment to democracy and its use of economic pressure against its neighbors," it said in a statement.
"The U.S. continues to work together with Russia on a number of important security and economic issues, even as we raise these concerns," the statement said.
Moscow's fresh assertiveness comes in part from rising oil prices, which have fueled strong economic growth in the energy-rich nation for the last seven years.
Putin said that even with Russia's recent increases in military funding, the United States spends nearly 25 times more. "This is what is described in the defense sphere as 'Their home is their fortress,' " he said. "Well done, guys," he added.
"But this means that we should also build our own home to be strong and reliable, because we can see what is happening worldwide," Putin said.
