Putin called sovereignty the main acquisition of the special operation in Ukraine

Russia will fulfill its duty to protect Donbass to the end, said Russian President Vladimir Putin, speaking at a plenary session at the Eastern Economic Forum (WEF). He also noted that everything that is happening now in the Donbass was not started by Russia – on the contrary, it is trying to end the hostilities that have already been started there.

“We have not started anything in terms of military operations, but are only trying to finish. Hostilities began in 2014, after the coup d’état in Ukraine, by those who did not want normal peaceful development and sought to suppress their own people, carrying out one military operation after another and subjecting the people living in Donbas to genocide for eight years,” – he said. According to Putin, after unsuccessful attempts to solve the problem peacefully, Russia decided to respond in a mirror way – “by armed means.”

“We did it deliberately. All our actions are aimed at helping people who live in the Donbass. This is our duty, and we will fulfill it to the end,” the head of state stressed. He also noted that this would allow Russia to strengthen itself both within the country and in the foreign policy arena.

Putin also drew attention to the fact that Russia has not lost anything since February 24. On the contrary, the main gain was the strengthening of sovereignty, which underlies modern development, the president believes. He emphasized that the polarization that is now developing in the world will only benefit: “Because everything that is unnecessary, harmful, everything that hinders progress will be rejected. We will gain momentum, the pace of development, because modern development can only be based on sovereignty,” Putin concluded.

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