“The whole country” supports the Russian soldiers engaged in the military operation in Ukraine. United “we can overcome anything”, said President Vladimir Putin in his annual speech to the assembled Houses of Parliament, the Duma.
“Our work continues unabated”, he added. “The combat capabilities of our young forces have shown their value and continue to act on all our territories, we are doing everything in our power to resolve issues related to the special military operation to protect our citizens and the our sovereignty”. Then he assured: “We will do everything to end the war and put a stop to Nazism”.
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Putin to the West: “Our weapons can also reach you”
The Russian president then went into detail about the ongoing conflict. In Ukraine, he said, Russian forces used two types of hypersonic missiles: the Kinzhal, launched from aircraft, and the Zirkon, launched from ships.
“We too have weapons capable of reaching your territories”, Putin then specified in his speech to the Duma, thus addressing the West.
“They have tried in the past to fight Russia, but now the consequences will be very bad,” he assured, stating that however it is “nonsense” to say that Moscow wants to attack Europe.
But there is no shortage of criticism. “Everything that the West is devising”, claims the Russian president, “really leads to the threat of a conflict with nuclear weapons and therefore to the annihilation of civilization”.
“Tragic consequences with NATO troops in Ukraine”
But the head of the Kremlin also issued another warning, speaking of “tragic consequences if NATO troops arrive in Ukraine”.
The hypothesis was put forward by French President Emmanuel Macron a few days ago. Macron has not ruled out the possibility of countries sending their troops to Ukraine. Although he admitted that there is no agreement on this solution among the European partners.
About 20 European leaders gathered in Paris on February 26 to send Russian President Vladimir Putin a message of European resolve on Ukraine. And to counter the Kremlin’s narrative that Russia is destined to win a war now entering its third year.
Read also: Two years of war in Ukraine: scenarios, casualties, costs and strategies
