“Sanctions imposed on Russia by the West are reminiscent of a declaration of war,” Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Saturday during a meeting with employees of Russian airlines.
Justifying the invasion of Ukraine, he stated that “Russia had to protect the Russian-speaking inhabitants of the east of Ukraine and its own interests.”
Putin confirmed that Russia’s goal is the “demilitarization” and “denazification” of Ukraine, which, according to the Russian president, should remain neutral.