Naryshkin announced Kyiv’s plans to launch a “punitive operation” in Donbass in 2022

Kiev had plans “at the prompting of its Western masters” in late February – early March 2022 to begin a “punitive operation” in the Donbass, said Sergey Naryshkin, director of the Russian Foreign Intelligence Service, transmits TASS.

“We received sufficient information that a decision was made in Kyiv and serious forces were concentrated around Donbass in order to finally strangle Donbass. After the special military operation began, as a result of the actions of our military, documents were discovered that say that Kiev really planned with the consent or even with the prompting of its Western masters in late February – early March [прошлого года] start an essentially punitive operation, which was supposed to lead to casualties on the part of the residents of Donbass,” he said.

Russian President Vladimir Putin in April last year named tragedy in the Donbass as the reason for the start of a special operation in Ukraine. “Russia will act consistently, we will ensure that life in the Donbass returns to normal,” the head of state said then. In early December 2022, at a meeting with participants in the II Congress of Young Scientists, Putin emphasizedthat the inhabitants of the new regions of Russia are “our people”, so everything must be done to support them.

The military operation of Russia in Ukraine began on February 24, 2022. Putin called the protection of the inhabitants of Donbass, as well as the demilitarization and denazification of Ukraine, its goals. During the special operation, Russian troops took full control of the LPR, as well as most of the DPR, Kherson and Zaporozhye regions. Subsequently, these territories, after holding referenda, became part of Russia.