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| Russia has 'no plans’ to take over Ukraine – Putin | |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| Moscow said it does not intend to capture Ukraine, but would seek its “de-Nazification” and “demilitarization” | |
| Russian President Vladimir Putin has claimed that Russia had "no plans to occupy the Ukrainian territories" after announcing that a special operation was launched to defend the Donetsk and Lugansk People's Republics from “Ukrainian aggression.” | Russian President Vladimir Putin has claimed that Russia had "no plans to occupy the Ukrainian territories" after announcing that a special operation was launched to defend the Donetsk and Lugansk People's Republics from “Ukrainian aggression.” |
| The operation’s ultimate goal is “to protect the people who have been subjected for 8 years to genocide by the Kiev regime,” Putin said in an adress on Thursday morning, adding that Moscow would “embark on a demilitarization and denazification of Ukraine, and handing over to justice those who committed numerous atrocities against civilians.” | The operation’s ultimate goal is “to protect the people who have been subjected for 8 years to genocide by the Kiev regime,” Putin said in an adress on Thursday morning, adding that Moscow would “embark on a demilitarization and denazification of Ukraine, and handing over to justice those who committed numerous atrocities against civilians.” |
| The Russian president noted, however, that Moscow harbors no far-reaching plans to take over the whole territory of Ukraine. | The Russian president noted, however, that Moscow harbors no far-reaching plans to take over the whole territory of Ukraine. |
| “We do not have plans to occupy Ukrainian territories. We are not going to impose anything on anyone by force,” he said. | “We do not have plans to occupy Ukrainian territories. We are not going to impose anything on anyone by force,” he said. |
| Ukraine has been accusing Russia of illegally occupying Crimea, which was reabsorbed by Russia following a referendum in March 2014, following the US-backed coup that overthrew the elected government in Kiev. Kiev has also repeatedly accused Russia of having a military presence in Donbass, although Moscow consistently denied this claim. | Ukraine has been accusing Russia of illegally occupying Crimea, which was reabsorbed by Russia following a referendum in March 2014, following the US-backed coup that overthrew the elected government in Kiev. Kiev has also repeatedly accused Russia of having a military presence in Donbass, although Moscow consistently denied this claim. |