Putin reveals reason for attacking Ukraine to Lukashenko
Russia launched an all-out invasion of Ukraine by land, air and sea on Thursday, the biggest attack by one state against another in Europe since World War II.
Russian President Vladimir Putin told his Belarusian counterpart that the aim of operations in Ukraine is to "stop the genocide in Donbass." Ukraine has strenuously denied this charge.
For months, the Russian leader has been repeating that Ukraine is committing genocide against the Russian minority in eastern Ukraine, but has not provided any substantive evidence for his claims.
He has lashed out even more broadly, saying "NATO supports Ukrainian neo-Nazis ... our actions are self-defense against threats."
"Genocide, nuclear ambitions, neo-Nazis: the Russian president's incendiary rhetoric this week against Ukraine and its leaders has portrayed them as diabolical, fanatical and intent on harming Russia," reports The Moscow Times. Click on the link to see how these charges are debunked.
The Russian President has been very inconsistent in recent days about his position on Ukraine. On Monday, he said he would send a peace keeping mission to the breakaway territories he recognised as independent republics. On Tuesday, he said there would be no action unless the breakaway territories asked for it, and on Wednesday he announced that he would launch special operations in the breakaway territories, and then he invaded the whole of Ukraine.
Cover photo: Kremlin Press Center/Anadolu Agency/Getty Images
