Putin likens Western sanctions to a "declaration of war"
Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Saturday that Russian forces have all but eliminated Ukraine's military infrastructure in the ten days since the armed intervention in Ukraine began, which he described as a "difficult decision".
"The first thing they (the Russian military) did was to destroy all the military infrastructure. Well, not all of it, but partially, mainly warehouses with weapons, ammunition, aviation, air defence systems. To destroy the air defence systems takes some time: you have to find them and then strike. Practically this work has been completed," Putin said during a meeting with women flight crews of Russian airlines, which was broadcast on television.
Putin also noted that Russia's proposals for a solution to the conflict with Ukraine are on the negotiating table with the Kiev authorities, and said he hoped they would respond positively. "Our proposals are on the table with the Kiev negotiating group. Hopefully, they will respond positively to that," Putin said.
"One of our key requirements is demilitarisation, that is, we help the citizens and residents of Donbass by seeking the neutral status of Ukraine," he said. And he also noted that the sanctions being imposed against Russia "are like a declaration of war".
The Russian leader said today that the decision to intervene militarily in Ukraine was a "difficult" one, and said again that declaring a no-fly zone over Ukraine would be tantamount to a declaration of war. "I said this at the beginning of the operation and I said it before this decision was taken. A difficult decision, no doubt about it," Putin said.
He referred to Ukrainian President Volodymir Zelensky's request to NATO to declare a no-fly zone over his country, which has been denied by the Alliance: "We hear that it is necessary to implement a no-fly zone over the territory of Ukraine. This is impossible to do from Ukraine's own territory, it can only be done from the territory of some neighbouring states. But any move in that direction will be considered by us as participation in the armed conflict by that state from whose territory threats to our country are created," he stressed.
Putin also referred to the possible consequences of Ukraine's NATO membership: "We are beginning to talk more and more actively about the fact that Ukraine will be accepted into NATO. Do you understand what this could lead to, or where it could even lead to now," the Russian leader asked.
Putin repeated some of the justifications he has given for the offensive against Ukraine since it was launched on 24 February, including the defence of the inhabitants of the pro-Russian Donbass regions: "Listen, the people in Donbass are not stray dogs. Between 13,000 and 14,000 people have died over the years. More than 500 children have been killed or maimed. But the West chose not to notice this for eight years. Listen, eight years," Putin said, referring to the war that began in 2014 after regime change in Kiev and the annexation of Crimea.
