Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Wednesday that the West is trying to economically cripple Russia following its invasion of Ukraine. “Behind the hypocritical talk and today’s actions of the so-called collective West are hostile geopolitical goals. They just don’t want a strong and sovereign Russia,” Putin said, according to state-run media. The Russian leader, speaking in a televised meeting in Moscow, said that other countries are trying to “cancel” Russia with a “blitzkrieg of sanctions.” “The West doesn’t even bother to hide that their aim is to damage the entire Russian economy, every Russian,” Putin said. After the Feb. 24 invasion, the United States, European Union, and other allies have imposed heavy sanctions against Russia’s financial and banking sectors. They’ve also targeted Putin and Russia’s leadership, and a number of multinational companies have pulled out or have turned off their services inside Russia. The White House and its European …