Putin says Russia determined to protect interests, U.S. creates threats

MOSCOW (Reuters) - President Vladimir Putin said on Thursday Russia was more and more determined to protect its interests but that the United States was creating threats for his country. Putin also told his annual end-of-year news conference that Russia did not invade any other country and that Russia had just two military bases abroad, while , he said, the United States had such bases all over the world. (Reporting by Lidia Kelly; Writing by Alexander Winning, Editing by Gabriela Baczynska)