Putin Suggests Ukrainian Military Seize Power From 'Gang of Junkies, Neo-Nazis in Kiev'

The Russian president announced on 24 February the start of a special military operation in Ukraine to defend the Donetsk and Lugansk People's republics (DPR and LPR) from the attacks of the Ukrainian forces.

President Vladimir Putin has addressed the Russian Security Council to discuss the latest updates in the context of the Russian special operation in Ukraine.

Read the full text of his speech:

Good afternoon, dear colleagues!

Today we will discuss the progress of the special military operation in Ukraine.

The main clashes of the Russian Army, as expected, are not taking place with regular units of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, but with nationalist formations, which, as you know, are directly responsible for the genocide in Donbass and the bloodshed of civilians in the people's republics.

In addition, the nationalist elements embedded in the regular Ukrainian units not only incite them to offer armed resistance, but, in fact, play the role of blocking units.

Moreover, according to the available information, and this is confirmed by the results of objective control, we see that Bandera supporters and neo-Nazis are deploying heavy weapons, including multiple launch rocket systems, right in the central regions of large cities, including Kiev and Kharkov. They plan to provoke return fire from Russian strike systems on residential areas. In fact, they act in the same way as terrorists do around the world, hiding behind people in the hope of later blaming Russia for the civilian casualties.

It is known that all this is happening on the recommendation of foreign instructors, primarily American advisers.

Once again, I appeal to the servicemen of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. Do not allow neo-Nazis and Bandera supporters to use your children, your wives, and elderly people as human shields. Take power into your own hands. It seems that it will be easier for us to come to an agreement than with this gang of junkies and neo-Nazis, who settled in Kiev and took the entire Ukrainian people hostage.

I also want to give the highest assessment to the actions of Russian soldiers and officers. They act courageously, professionally, heroically, fulfilling their military duty, successfully solving the most important task of ensuring the security of our people and our fatherland.