“We will achieve the demilitarization and denazification of the Kiev Government because it is a threat to Russia’s national security,” the president said.
Putin stated that the Ukrainian conflict was provoked by the West’s unbridled desire “to crawl to Russia’s borders and bring Kiev into NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization).”
“Southeastern Ukraine has always been pro-Russian because there are historical Russian territories,” he added.
According to the head of State, Russian forces have destroyed 747 Ukrainian tanks and nearly 2,300 Ukrainian armored vehicles since Kiev launched its counteroffensive on June 4.
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