Putin has vowed to maintain Russia’s invasion of Ukraine

President of Russia Vladimir PutinHe promised that Russia’s offensive in Ukraine will “formally” continue.

Putin will deliver his first speech to parliament since April last year. A presentation planned for the end of 2022 was canceled due to “scheduling problems”, according to the official version, the Russian line received only bad news from the front.

“To ensure the security of our country and eliminate the threat of the neo-Nazi regime that emerged in Ukraine after the 2014 coup, it was decided to carry out a special military operation. Gradually, carefully and consistently, we will accomplish the tasks we face.”, Putin said in his State of the Nation address before both houses of parliament.

Special guests at the Duma include a significant number of players in the audience.

“I am addressing you A difficult and important moment for our countryAt a time when the whole world is undergoing profound change,” Putin told Russian high-ranking officials and political elites.

President of Russia Again he lashed out in the West, justifying the invasion by accusing their rivals of threatening Russia. “They started the war. We use force to put an end to itPutin said. “The responsibility for fueling the Ukrainian conflict, its expansion, the number of victims… falls squarely on the Western elite,” he said.

According to him, the West wants to deal Russia a “strategic defeat” in Ukraine. “They want to end it (Russia) once and for all”, said the Kremlin leader.

He also said that the constituency knows.Russia cannot be defeated on the battlefield”, it conducts “aggressive informational attacks” against Russia, “misrepresents historical facts”, attacks Russian culture, religion and values. and, As he explained, “pedophilia” became “the norm” in the West. “Look at what they are doing to their own people: destruction of families, cultural and national identities and child abuse and child abuse are routinely reported… and priests are forced to bless same-sex marriages,” he said. Said to preserve Russian traditions.

“I did everything possible, really everything possible” to resolve this problem by peaceful means, the president promised, but blamed Ukraine for not resolving the situation in Donbass. ” said.

He argued that the Kiev regime did not solve the region’s problems, but rather worsened them: “They were buying time, turned a blind eye to political assassinations, unnecessary repression of the Kiev regime, persecution of believers.”

I would also like to emphasize that Before the start of the special military operation, Kiev negotiated with the West to supply air defense systems, fighter jets and other heavy equipment to Ukraine.“, he said, while again accusing Ukraine of trying to “acquire nuclear weapons”.

He also accused the US and NATO of “rapidly deploying their military bases and secret biological laboratories near Russia’s borders”, “dominating the arena of future military operations with maneuvers” and “preparing enslaved Ukraine for a major war”. .

“Today they openly admit it without hesitation. They are proud of their treachery by calling both the Minsk (peace) accords and the Normandy format a diplomatic performance, a folly,” he denounced. Putin said the West therefore played with “coded cards”.

In the context of conflict with Washington, Your country has announced suspension of compliance with START III or New START, the last nuclear disarmament treaty still in force between Russia and the United States. The agreement, signed in 2011 and renewed for five years in 2021, has not been complied with by Moscow allowing regular inspections within its territory. Putin argued that “no one should have the illusion that global strategic parity can be violated.” He has called on Russian officials to be prepared if the United States conducts nuclear tests first.

The President also warned that the persecution of protesters will not stop. “Those who embarked on the path of betraying Russia must answer to the law”, Putin said, although he qualified that the authorities would not unleash a “witch hunt”.

Referring to international sanctions affecting Russia, Putin assessed that Westerners had “achieved nothing and will achieve nothing” as the Russian economy resisted better than experts had predicted.

“We have guaranteed the stability of the economic situation and protected citizens,” Putin said, adding that the West had failed to “destabilize” Russian society.

Domestically, Putin has opened the door to a re-election bid in the 2024 presidential election. With the law, respecting all constitutional democratic procedures,” he said, referring to the controversial 2020 constitutional reform that would allow him to contest. For re-election in 2024 and 2030.

Putin, 70, came to power in 2000, was re-elected in 2004, served four years as prime minister, returned to the Kremlin in 2012 and was re-elected in 2018. Some analysts point out that A military campaign or declaration of martial law in Ukraine could lead to the indefinite postponement of presidential elections.

Government spokesman Dmitry Peskov had expected the Russian leader to focus on what Moscow calls “special military action” in Ukraine and Russia’s economic and social affairs. Many observers also expected the speech to address Moscow’s differences with the West.

Underscoring the anticipation, some state television channels began Monday’s countdown to the event and the Russian state news agency RIA Novosti He said Tuesday morning’s speech would be “historic.”

Peskov told reporters that the delay in the speech was related to Putin’s “work schedule,” but Russian media linked it to several setbacks suffered by Russian forces on the Ukrainian battlefield.

Last year, the Kremlin also canceled two other major annual events: Putin’s press conference and a heavily scripted phone marathon where people ask the president questions.

Among the first reactions to the news was a senior US official Putin’s accusations are ridiculous Russia was threatened by the West as justification for invading Ukraine.

“No one attacked Russia. “The idea that Russia is under military threat from Ukraine or anyone else is absurd,” White House national security adviser Jack Sullivan told reporters.

News in development…