Russia will implement all plans in Ukraine, Putin tells stadium event in Moscow

putin-1-2.jpg

Putin speaks to a gathering of enthusiastic Russian flags waving citizens at the Moscow's Luzhniki Stadium, on Friday March 18, 2022. Photos:

Share with love

*Implicitly shrugs off Western media reports claiming war not going according to plan

*Putin speaks as citizens wave Russian flags chanting “Russia, Russia, Russia”

*Says Ukraine war necessary because US using country to threaten Russia

…adds Russia had to defend against the “genocide” of Russian-speaking people by Ukraine

*Praises Russians for their unity behind him

“We know what we need to do, how to do it and at what cost. And we will absolutely accomplish all of our plans,” Putin, 69, told the rally from a stage decked out with slogans such as “For a world without Nazism” and “For our president”.

 

Russian President Vladimir Putin says that Moscow will continue pursuing its special military operation in Ukraine until all its plans are implemented.

The Russian strongman was speaking at a concert at Moscow’s Luzhniki Stadium, when he implicitly shrugged off Western media reports claiming that the war was not going according to plan.
He asserted that Moscow was clear-eyed on the next steps in Ukraine.
 
Agencies’ reports said that Putin reportedly justified the mission in Ukraine as he spoke at the stadium but that coverage of his speech on state television was unexpectedly interrupted by what the Kremlin said was a technical problem with a server.
 
He promised the tens of thousands of people waving Russian flags and chanting “Russia, Russia, Russia” that all of the Kremlin’s aims would be achieved.
 
“We know what we need to do, how to do it and at what cost. And we will absolutely accomplish all of our plans,” Putin, 69, told the rally from a stage decked out with slogans such as “For a world without Nazism” and “For our president”.
 
Dressed in a turtleneck and coat, Putin said the soldiers fighting in what Russia calls its “special military operation” in Ukraine had illustrated the unity of Russia.

Putin waves to a gathering of enthusiastic Russian flags waving citizens at the Moscow’s Luzhniki Stadium, on Friday March 18, 2022.

 
“Shoulder to shoulder, they help each other, support each other and when needed they shield each other from bullets with their bodies like brothers. Such unity we have not had for a long time,” Putin said.
 
As he was talking, state television briefly cut away from his speech and showed earlier pre-recorded footage of patriotic songs, but he later appeared back on state television.
 
RIA news agency cited Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov as saying a technical fault on a server was the reason state television had suddenly cut away from Putin.
 
Putin says the operation in Ukraine was necessary because the United States was using the country to threaten Russia and Russia had to defend against the “genocide” of Russian-speaking people by Ukraine.
 
Ukraine says it is fighting for its existence and that Putin’s claims of genocide are nonsense. The West says claims it wants to rip Russia apart are fiction.
 
Before Putin spoke, Russia’s stirring national anthem, with the words “Russia is our sacred state” boomed out across the stands of the stadium used in the 2018 Soccer World Cup along with more modern pop hits such as “Made in the U.S.S.R.”.
 
Pan-Slavist poetry by Fyodor Tyutchev, whose verses warned Russians that they would always be considered slaves of the Enlightenment by Europeans, was read out.
 
Putin quoted Russia’s brilliant 18th century naval commander, Fyodor Ushakov.
 
“He once said that these thunderstorms will go to the glory of Russia,” Putin said. “That is the way it was then, that is the way it is now and it will always be that way. Thank you.”
 
The Russia-Ukraine war started on Feb. 24 with Russian claims to be protecting Donbas from “genocide,” but quickly spread to the rest of the country.
 
The war has drawn international condemnation, led to financial restrictions on Moscow, and spurred an exodus of global firms from Russia.
 
At least 816 civilians have been killed and 1,333 injured in Ukraine since the beginning of the war, the UN said, while noting that conditions on the ground make it difficult to verify the actual number.
 
More than 3.16 million people have also fled to neighbouring countries, said the UN refugee agency.
Source: The News Agencies


Share with love
Top