Russian President Vladimir Putin announced in a Thursday morning address that Russian forces have no plans to occupy Ukraine. However, Russia will defend itself if it is the only option presented, the president noted.
Putin has directed Russian forces to conduct a special operation in the Donbass region, according to February 24 remarks from the Russian president. Putin declared that he expects consolidated Parliamentary support for the operation in the Donbass region.
Putin remarked that the NATO-allied war machine supporting ‘Neo-Nazis’ in Ukraine is moving and closely approaching Russia’s borders.
Responding to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky statement that Kiev may reconsider the country’s non-nuclear status under the 1994 Budapest Memorandum, Putin declared that Russia would not let such a thing happen.
The Russian president took time to address Ukrainian forces, urging Kiev’s service members to lay down their arms and remember that they gave an oath to people, not junta.
“The circumstances make us take decisive and immediate actions. The people’s republics of Donbas asked Russia for assistance,” Putin said. “In this regard, in accordance with Article 51, Part 7 of the UN Charter, with the sanction of the Federation Council and in pursuance of the friendship and mutual assistance treaties with the DPR and LPR, ratified by the Federal Assembly, I have decided to conduct a special military operation.”
Putin said that while politics is a dirty business, NATO’s actions come contrary to morality and Russia cannot develop, feel safe, or exist with constant threats from Ukraine.
