"He says that a decades-long "so-called friend" is behind Beslan."
This advisor said similar. Did Putin say "so-called friend" too?
I think you are right. I think it was an official spokesman, not Putin. I posted two stories from Novosti earlier. Check those. Still, it was an official statement. That's what Novosti is. It would be authorized by Putin I think. Those are like White House briefings by the press secretary. It's not just what some guy says.
http://en.rian.ru/rian/index.cfm?msg_id=4811815
Putin's speech.
He is blaming Beslan on a government that wants to tear off part of Russia because it fears their weapons.
Putin's expert on the Caucasus is quoted at the beginning of this thread. I think he claims a decades-long so-called friend did Beslan.
Putin doesn't just shoot of his mouth. He says more or less what he means I think.