The President of the Russian Federation, Vladimir Putin, announced a “partial military deployment” of reservists and other citizens with military experience, starting this Wednesday, to defend the country’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, and accused the West of wanting to divide Russia “strengthening its armament” and using the Ukrainians as “cannon fodder”.
“I consider it necessary to support the proposal of the Ministry of Defense and the General Staff to carry out a partial mobilization in the Russian Federation,” Putin said during a televised address to the nation, adding that a decree had already been signed in this regard.
“They say that Russia must be divided, they support terrorist gangs in the Caucasus, near our borders,” he said.
The Kremlin leader stated that the goal of the Russians is to liberate Donbass: “We have no right to leave the populations of Lugansk and Donetsk unprotected, victims of the barbaric attacks of the Ukrainian Nazis.”
More than six months after the start of the war in Ukraine, Putin thanked Russian citizens in Donbass, stressing that they are “true patriots” and that the country is “united by great Russia.”
“Steps are needed to defend Russia’s sovereignty and territorial integrity,” he said.
The president lamented the attacks on the border with Russia, adding that Ukraine uses NATO technology and stressed that Moscow has “better technology than the West”, warning that “if necessary” it will use “all the means at its disposal”. will to avert the threat that exists against Russia”.
This was the first message to the country from Putin since the start of the offensive in Ukraine, which he announced on February 24 as a “special military operation.”
Local authorities in the Ukrainian regions of Kherson, Zaporizhzhia, Donetsk and Lugansk announced Tuesday that they will hold referendums from September 23 to 27 to decide on their annexation by Russia.
On Tuesday, Putin had already accused the European Union of blocking a Russian donation of 300,000 tonnes of fertilizer to countries that need it most, denouncing what he says are increasing obstacles the West poses to Russian exports.
in update
Source: TSF
