MOSCOW – Russian President Vladimir Putin on Thursday (Feb 24) announced a ‘military operation’ in Ukraine.
“I have made the decision of a military operation,” he said in a surprise statement on television shortly before 6am (11am Singapore time).
Mr Putin said the operation aims to protect the people of the Donbass region, according to the IFAX and TASS news agencies.
Russia doesn’t plan to occupy Ukraine, TASS cited Putin as saying.
Mr Putin said the circumstances demand decisive action from Russia. The country cannot tolerate threats coming from Ukraine. He called on Ukraine military to “lay down its arms”.
Mr Putin said Russia’s actions are in self-defence from threats and bigger problems than those today, adding that he wants to de-militarise and de-nazify Ukraine.
Mr Putin said if there is any foreign interference, Russia will react immediately.
The responsibility of any bloodshed will be on the Ukrainian regime, he said.
Mr Putin’s announcement came as an emergency UN Security Council meeting was underway.
United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres had made a personal appeal to Mr Putin to stop his troops from entering Ukraine.
“President Putin, stop your troops from attacking Ukraine, give peace a chance, too many people have already died.”
The meeting was the second emergency session in three days over the Ukraine-Russia crisis.
The Kremlin said Wednesday that separatist leaders in eastern Ukraine had appealed to Mr Putin for help fighting Ukrainian forces. The two self-proclaimed republics in Donetsk and Luhansk sought help under treaties Mr Putin signed with their leaders on Monday.
Mr Putin has for months sustained a large troop buildup around Ukraine, with the US estimating around 150,000 soldiers are now in the area, alongside artillery and tanks.
Russia has repeatedly rejected US allegations that Mr Putin intends to invade Ukraine as “hysteria” and propaganda.
The Donetsk and Luhansk separatists held about 30 per cent of the territory of the two Ukrainian regions as of Wednesday, with the rest under the control of government forces.
(AFP/REUTERS)
