The Russian president has been embattled with his countries coronavirus outbreak. Russia has the third highest cases of COVID-19 in the world, with 529,964. But it has also only reported 6,948 deaths from the virus.
In an interview with state-owned Rossiya 1 on Sunday, Putin decried the US’ handling of the George Floyd protests and their coronavirus pandemic, and linked the two.
He said: “Things connected to the fight with the coronavirus have shone a spotlight on general problems.”
He continued to say that Russia is “exiting the coronavirus situation steadily with minimal losses, God willing”.
Putin said: “In the States it isn’t happening that way.”
READ MORE: Wuhan lab ‘received shipment of world’s deadliest viruses’ months before COVID-19 outbreak
Putin also knocked President Trump’s leadership and authority on the twin crises.
He said: “I think the problem is that group interests, party interests are put higher than the interests of the whole of society and the interests of the people [in the U.S.].
“The president says we need to do such-and-such but the governor somewhere tells him where to go.”
In contrast with Russia, Putin said of the US: “I doubt anyone in the government or the regions would say ‘we’re not going to do what the government says, what the president says, we think it’s wrong’.”
It comes as the Russian president recently made his first public appearance in weeks.
Mr Putin used his appearance celebrating Russia Day to promote a controversial reform of the constitution which could keep him in office until 2036.
His last public appearance was on 9 May when he attended a Victory Day ceremony – the traditional parade has been postponed until 24 June.
Since then he had been working from his country residence outside Moscow.
The comments also follow President Trump’s plans to re-launch his campaign rallies.
Trump will head to Tulsa, Oklahoma, which has seen relatively few COVID-19 cases, on Saturday.
Health experts have questioned the decision, citing the danger of infection spreading among the crowd and sparking outbreaks when people return to their homes.
The Trump campaign itself acknowledges the risk in a waiver attendees must agree to absolving them of any responsibility should people get sick.