Russian President Vladimir Putin warned on Wednesday that he would use all available means to protect Russia, accusing the West of trying to “destroy” the country.
“When the territorial integrity of our country is threatened, we will certainly use all means at our disposal to protect Russia and our people. This is not a hoax,” Putin said in a televised address to the nation, adding that the West has intended to “weaken, divide, and ultimately destroy our country.”
In the same speech, the President of the Russian Federation, Vladimir Putin, announced a “partial military mobilization” of reservists and other citizens with military experience, starting this Wednesday, to defend the country’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.
“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,” he said.
The Kremlin leader added 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.
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.
Source: TSF
