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Wladimir Putin
Photo: IMAGO/Sergei Karpukhin / IMAGO/ITAR-TASS
Shortly before the first anniversary of Russia's invasion of Ukraine, Russian President Vladimir Putin delivered a state of the nation address.
He again blamed the West for the war he had ordered.
"Western elites are not hiding their goal: to inflict a strategic defeat on Russia, that is, to finish us off once and for all," said the ex-intelligence agent.
However, Russia will continue its offensive in Ukraine "carefully and systematically" and thus achieve the goals of its military operation "step by step".
Russia is only trying to end the fighting, the Kremlin chief claimed in his speech.
He delivered them to the representatives of the Federal Assembly.
It is composed of the State Duma and the Federation Council and met in the Gostiny Dvor event center in Moscow.
Moreover, Putin once again said that a "neo-Nazi regime" was in power in Ukraine.
Russia's troops in Ukraine would fight for the future and for the restoration of historical justice.
"We will do everything to ensure that peace returns to our country." Russia's existence is at stake.
Finally, the 70-year-old added that the West was trying to turn a local conflict into a global one.
At the same time, Putin assured: "It is impossible to defeat our country on the battlefield." He was convinced that the majority of the Russian population supports the government's actions in the defense of Donbass.
"I want to thank the Russian people for their determination and courage."
Promise to families of fallen soldiers
Putin promised financial support to the families of fallen soldiers and war veterans and announced a special state fund for this purpose.
There will be more social aid programs in the new areas, Putin said, referring to the four annexed Ukrainian regions.
These areas would have chosen to be with Russia.
This refers to the sham referendums in the occupied Ukrainian regions of Cherson, Donetsk, Luhansk and Zaporizhia.
This Friday, February 24th, will be a year since Russia officially started the war against Ukraine.
Putin's appearance was his 18th state of the nation address to date.
The previous one was almost two years ago and took place in April 2021.
Last year there were none;
the head of the Kremlin explained this with a very high "dynamics of events."
col/dpa/Reuters/AFP