MOSCOW - Prime Minister Vladimir Putin attacked the United States on Thursday over secret US diplomatic cables released by WikiLeaks, saying the West had no right to preach to Russia about democracy.

Russia's Prime Minister Vladimir Putin speaks during a news conference after signing documents with his French counterpart Francois Fillon in Moscow December 9, 2010. [Photo/Agencies]

When asked about cables which cast him as Russia's "alpha-dog" ruler, Putin asked: "Do you think the American diplomatic service is a crystal clean source of information? Do you think so?"

Related readings:  WikiLeaks backers threaten more cyber attacks  Ex-WikiLeaks staff to launch rival site  WikiLeaks founder arrested in UK  Putin warns West over missile defence

He then criticised the West over the arrest of WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange, who turned himself in to authorities in Britain this week after a warrant by a Swedish prosecutor who wants to question him about sexual misconduct accusations.

"If it is full democracy, then why have they hidden Mr. Assange in prison? That's what, democracy?" Putin said, in the strongest Russian criticism of the affair.

"So, you know, as they say in the countryside, some people's cows can moo, but yours should keep quiet. So I would like to shoot the puck back at our American colleagues," Putin said at a briefing with his French counterpart Francois Fillon.

The phrase is a colloquial term which is a Russian equivalent of "the pot calling the kettle black".

Leaked US cables cast Putin as a ruler who allows an elite of corrupt officials and crooked spies to siphon off cash from the world's biggest energy producer.

Pressure on Washington

Russian President Dmitry Medvedev said last week that the leaked cables showed the cynicism of US diplomats whose cables cast him as the junior partner to Putin who had to get his decisions approved by his mentor.

But Putin's criticism ratchets up the pressure on the United States after one of the leaked cables said US Defense Secretary Robert Gates had observed on February 8, 2010, that "Russian democracy has disappeared and the government is an oligarchy run by the security services".

That comment was cited in a cable from the US Embassy in Paris.

French PM Fillon said at the joint briefing in Moscow that France needed no US advice on how to deal with Russia.

"The French government does not need advice from the diplomats of any other countries about Russia," Fillon said through a Russian translator. "As to WikiLeaks, I will never comment about information that has been stolen."

During Fillon's visit to Russia, French engineer Alstom said it has secured contracts with a host of Russian firms, including Rushydro, Rosatom, Inter RAO, Mosenergo and Russian Technologies.

It did not give details of the size of the deals, though Putin said that French companies were Russia's preferred partners for work on global energy markets. "French companies are for us the preferred partners in work on global energy markets," Putin said. He gave no further details.