Russia’s leader says Moscow seeks “demilitarization and denazification” of Ukraine, tells Ukrainian army to lay down weapons, warns of response to foreign intervention.
QUICK FACTS:
- Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Thursday that Russia has begun a military operation in Ukraine following a request from the authorities of the Donetsk and Lugansk republics for assistance in repelling Kiev’s military aggression, according to The Russian News Agency (TASS).
- In his address to the Ukrainian people, Putin explained that Russia’s actions were taken in self-defense from threats and from a “still greater misfortune than the one happening today” while asking Ukrainians for “cooperation in order to turn this tragic page as soon as possible and to move forward together.”
- Putin stated that Moscow would seek the “demilitarization and denazification” of Ukraine.
- He also called upon the Ukrainian army to lay down weapons and went on to warn that there would be a prompt response to attempts at intervention from outside countries.
- After a message from the Donbass republics—a region inhabited by Russians—Putin made a decision to conduct a “special military operation” he says was to protect the people in Donbass “who have for eight years been exposed to humiliation and genocide by the regime in Kiev.”
- Putin went on to say his decision to use force was “for bringing to justice those who have committed numerous bloody crimes against peaceful civilians, including Russian citizens.”
- TASS indicated Moscow’s does not plan to occupy Ukraine, emphasizing the “right of the Ukrainian people to self-determination.”
- However, Putin did say that Russia could not let Kiev obtain nuclear weapons and pointed to NATO’s “illegitimate” expansion to the east.
PUTIN ON WHY HE’S USING FORCE:
“Its purpose is to protect the people who have for eight years been exposed to humiliation and genocide by the regime in Kiev,” said Putin. “For this we will seek demilitarization and denazification of Ukraine, and also press for bringing to justice those who have committed numerous bloody crimes against peaceful civilians, including Russian citizens.”
BACKGROUND:
- After Putin’s announcement, there followed reports of sounds of explosions in a number of Ukrainian cities, including Kiev and Kharkov, TASS reports.
- The Russian leader urged the Ukrainian military to “lay down arms at once and leave for home.” He said that “Those servicemen of the Ukrainian army who will meet this demand will be free to leave the zone of combat operations and return to their families.” All responsibility for possible bloodshed “will rest upon entirely on Ukraine’s ruling regime.”
- He also warned outside nations that “Nobody should feel any doubts that a direct attack on Russia would end with the potential aggressor’s defeat and terrible consequences for the attacker,” he warned.
- “Whoever may try to create obstructions to us, let alone pose threats to our country and our people, they should know that Russia’s response will follow without delay and entail consequences that you have never encountered in your history. We are prepared for any march of events. All necessary decisions in this connection will be made. I hope that I will be heard,” Putin said.
