Military operation in Ukraine — Recognition of the DPR and the LPR

On 21st of February Vladimir Putin signed a decree recognizing the independence of the LPR and the DPR. Their leaders put their own signatures inside the Kremlin. Vladimir Putin explained the logic of this decision in details. He mentioned the history and the current state of affairs in Ukraine. Russia faces certain threats, given that Ukraine is under an external control, and it is being used, in a military point of view, by the USA and the NATO.

On 24th of February Russia launched a military operation in Ukraine after the authorities of the LPR and the DPR requested to help them in the repelling of the aggression of Ukraine — Vladimir Putin stated during an emergency address. He pointed out the exact reasons and goals of the operation. Firstly — the decision to operate was forced. Secondly — it was adopted in accordance with the norms of the international law and the UN Charter. The purpose of the operation is to protect the people who have been subjected to a genocide by Ukraine over the past 8 years. Putin stated that Moscow won’t occupy Ukraine, but only de-militarize and de-nazify the country. He urged the Ukrainian military to lay down their arms, and he warned of an immediate response in case of an outside interference. According to Dmitry Peskov — the timing of the operation will be decided by Putin. The timing will depend on the effectiveness of the operation. The Russian Ministry of Defense underlined that they won’t strike the cities of Ukraine. Nothing threatens the civilians. The Russian troops disable the Ukrainian military infrastructure, air defense facilities, military airfields, and aviation with high-precision weapons.

The official representative of the Russian Ministry of Defense, Major-General Igor Konashenkov, reported on the 26th of February that Russian troops hit 821 Ukrainian military infrastructure facilities. «Among the destoyed targets were 14 military airfields, 19 command and control centers and communications centers, 24 «S-300» and «Osa» AA missile systems, and 48 radar stations. The Russian troops launched a night-time strike with long-range precision weapons, such as air and sea based cruise missiles. They targeted the Ukrainian military infrastructure» — end of the quote.

The DPR and the LPR forces continue their offensive with a fire support from the Russian troops. «The special military operation continues. Over the past day the DPR and the LPR troops expanded the areas of penetration in the Ukrainian defense lines with a fire support from the Russian troops. They continue the offensive» — Igor Konashenkov stated. The Russian Ministry of Defense added that the Russian forces shot down 7 Ukrainian planes, 7 helicopters, and 9 UAVs. «87 tanks and other armored combat vehicles, 28 MLRS, and 118 special military vehicles were destroyed. The Russian fleet destroyed 8 Ukrainian military boats» — he stated. The ministry added that the retreating Ukrainian nationalist battalions blow up electrical substations and bridges across the rivers. «The nationalist battalions blow up electrical substations and bridges across the rivers over which they retreat» — Igor Konashenkov added.

The head of the DPR, Denis Pushilin, stated that the Ukrainian radicals in Donbass do not surrender, unlike the Ukrainian servicemen, who laid down their arms. «A number of servicemen, I underline it — they aren’t the nationalists — do understand the hopelessness of the situation. They wish to stay alive in order to return to their families, so they surrender, and lay down their arms» — Pushilin stated on air of the «Rossiya 24» TV channel. The surrendered Ukrainian soldiers are guaranteed the humane treatment and personal safety. All those in need of medical care are being provided with the necessary medical help. The Ukrainian servicemen that willingly laid down their arms will sign a declaration of non-participation in the hostilities, and return to their families. The servicemen of the LPR and the DPR continue to liberate the territories, occupied by Ukraine.

The Ukrainian servicemen from the Zmeiny Island were delivered to the city of Sevastopol on the rescue tugboat ’’Miner’’ from the Black Sea Fleet. Earlier the Ukrainian authorities reported that the entire garrison of the island was killed. A video footage of the Ukrainian servicemen in Sevastopol was published on 26th of February. On the footage, the Ukrainian servicemen get off the tugboat, and receive dry rations and bottled water. «82 Ukrainian servicemen, stationed on the island Zmeiniy, laid down their arms and surrendered to the Russian forces. Currently they are being asked to sign papers on a refusal to participate in the hostilities» — the Russian Defense Ministry spokesman Igor Konashenkov stated.

The Russian troops captured the Chernobyl nuclear power plant. The radiation level in the area remains at a normal level. The Russian troops are making sure that the Ukrainian nationalists won’t try to damage the nuclear power plant. The civilian personnel continue their work at nuclear power plant. The authorities of the city of Kherson announced that the defense of the city had been broken by the Russian troops. The Russian army established a full control over the city of Melitopol, in the Zaporozhye region. The Russian Ministry of Defense announced the blockade of the city of Kyiv from the western side, and the joining of the main Russian troops with the paratroopers in Gostomel. The situation in Kyiv is critical for the Ukrainian troops. The subway stopped the transportation function, and it is being used only as a shelter.

The Ukrainian military hit a residential building in Kyiv with an anti-aircraft missile. There is no information about the dead and injured so far. On 25th of February, the Ukrainian air defense forces shot down a Ukrainian Su-27 fighter jet over Kiev. The pilot died.

The NATO has no intention of defending Ukraine from Russia. It won’t deploy troops due to the on-going military operation — the NATO Secretary General, Jens Stoltenberg, stated during an emergency meeting of the NATO in Brussels — it was dedicated to the military situation in Ukraine. During the press conference, Stoltenberg spoke with the reporters and answered a number of important questions. In particular — about the reaction of the NATO to the «Russian invasion», and about the form of the help that will be provided to Kiev. “The NATO has no troops in Ukraine. We have no plans to deploy forces in Ukraine” — he stated.

The President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko suggested during a telephone conversation with Vladimir Putin to organize negotiations between Moscow and Kyiv — the press secretary of the Russian President, Dmitry Peskov, stated on 25th of February. At first, Ukraine agreed to hold talks in Poland, but after a short hesitation — the Ukrainian representatives ended the conversation. Meanwhile, Russia formed a delegation for the negotiations. It included the representatives of the Russian Ministry of Defense, the Foreign Ministry, and the presidential administration.

The head of the Russian Foreign Ministry, Sergei Lavrov, dismissed the call to start negotiations from Vladimir Zelenski since he is currently handing out small arms to the civilians while urging them to resist. The Ukrainian troops in Kyiv and Kharkov are placing tanks and artillery between houses, hoping to fight behind civilians. This is a war crime, and it is being practiced by the terrorist groups, backed by the Western intelligence agencies. Constantine Reztov, specially for the ANNA NEWS