Russian President Vladimir Putin visited the Aeroflot aviation training centre and met with female aircrew members of Russian airlines on Saturday.
Before the meeting, the President inspected flight and emergency rescue simulators at the training centre. They simulate a real-life mid-air environment. The President inspected a cockpit allowing pilots to more effectively control the MC-21 medium-haul narrow-body airliner. He also used a simulator to fly a Sukhoi Superjet 100 airliner in the company of Aeroflot flight detachment commander Maria Kasyanik.
Vladimir Putin also visited the unique Water-Land centre, whose specialists train flight crews to deal with emergencies, including water landings, mid-air firefighting operations and evacuating passengers via inflatable ramps.
Unfortunately, the humanitarian situation in Ukraine is rapidly deteriorating and continues to take on catastrophic proportions, Chief of the National Centre for State Defence Control, Colonel General Mikhail Mizintsev reported on on Saturday.
Taking into account the insistent requests of the Ukrainian side and exclusively for humanitarian purposes, today from 10 a.m. Moscow time, a silence regime has once again been declared for the exit of civilians from Mariupol and Volnovakha. At the same time, routes and all transport logistics of humanitarian corridors have been worked out in detail and agreed upon with the Ukrainian side. The Russian Armed Forces have ensured their safety.
Representatives of the International Committee of the Red Cross in Kiev and Moscow have been notified in advance.
"Unfortunately, as of the current moment, we have reliable information that out of the declared 200 thousand refugees from Mariupol and 15 thousand from Volnovakha, no one has arrived at the open humanitarian corridors. It has been reliably established that the nationalists do not release civilians and foreign citizens from these settlements," Mizintsev stressed.
From 10 o'clock in the morning, with five unmanned aerial vehicles, three over Mariupol, two over Volnovakha, we conducted intensive monitoring of the situation in these settlements. According to the results of objective control, it was established that the formation of no humanitarian columns was carried out, but on the contrary, the silence regime was actively used for the intensive regrouping of AFU units and national battalions in defensive positions and throughout Mariupol, as well as the movement of weapons and military equipment to more advantageous positions.
A similar situation was noted in Volnovakha. The operational pause is used only to improve the situation of the national battalions and build up forces and means.
"Today I have to address directly to the Deputy Prime Minister of the Government of Ukraine Irina Vereshchuk, with whom we have worked intensively and interacted over the past day, while we have fulfilled all her wishes and requests. If the Kiev regime has dragged you into this special provocative operation to create more favorable conditions for the defending Nazis in these localities, then say so, you personally tell this to the Ukrainian people, who will give their political assessment of your actions," General stated.
The militants of the nationalist battalions continue to hold about five thousand foreigners hostage as a human shield, including:
in Kharkiv - up to 1.5 thousand students from India, up to 200 citizens of Jordan, 40 citizens of Egypt, 15 citizens of Vietnam; in Sumy - 576 citizens of India, 159 citizens of Tanzania, 121 citizens of China, 100 students from Ghana, 60 citizens of Egypt, 45 citizens of Jordan, 16 students from Pakistan, 15 citizens of Tunisia and 14 citizens of Zambia.
"To our proposals to open humanitarian corridors in Kharkiv and Sumy, the Ukrainian side has so far refused," General Mizintsev noted.
The situation is aggravated by the monstrous increase in crime provoked by the Ukrainian government, which indiscriminately armed residents of cities, radical elements, criminals released early by the same criminal authorities from places of detention.
Taking advantage of their impunity and actually becoming a parallel government, with the complete loss of civil law governance, bandits are rampaging in settlements, killing, robbing and raping. The country is overwhelmed by a wave of looting. The Ukrainian people are intimidated, the atrocities of the Nazis have become widespread.
In addition, cases of discrimination of human rights on racial grounds have become more frequent, namely, nationalist activists prevent the evacuation of foreigners, especially those with dark skin color, as well as citizens of India, Israel, Indonesia, Pakistan and Egypt.
Russian General, once again called on the collective West to stop the flow of politically motivated lies about the humanitarian situation in Ukraine, and the world community and the entire civilized world to actively engage in work to force the Kiev regime to comply with the rules of humane treatment of the civilian population.
On March 5, from 10 a.m. Moscow time, the Russian side declared a regime of silence and opened humanitarian corridors for civilians to leave Mariupol and Volnovakha, Russian Defense Ministry Spokesman Igor Konashenkov reported on Saturday.
As it became known later, 17 people used the humanitarian corridor in Mariupol, so far no one has left Volnovakha.
Units of the Russian Armed Forces are conducting offensive operations on a broad front. Over the past day, the settlements of Preobrazhenka, Komsomolskoye, Zagornoye, Dorozhnyanka, Reshetilovskoye, Konstantinovka, Shevchenko, Chubarevka, Proletarskoye, Lyubimovka have been taken under control.
The servicemen of the Donetsk People's Republic continue to squeeze the encirclement ring around Mariupol.
The militants of the Azov and Aidar national battalions are firing at the people's militia units that have entered the city from positions equipped in schools, hospitals, maternity hospitals and kindergartens.
The Armed Forces of the Russian Federation continue to deliver strikes at the military assets of Ukraine.
Over the past day, a strike of high-precision long-range weapons destroyed an ammunition depot on the territory of the military unit of Zhytomyr, where Javelin and NLOW anti-tank missile systems were stored.
In total, 2,037 military assets of Ukraine's were hit during the operation. Among them: 71 control points and communication centers of the Ukrainian Armed Forces; 98 S-300, Buk M-1 and Osa anti-aircraft missile systems, as well as 61 radar stations.
Destroyed: 66 aircraft on the ground and 16 aircraft in the air, 708 tanks and other armored combat vehicles, 74 multiple rocket launchers, 261 field artillery and mortars, 505 units of special military vehicles, as well as 56 unmanned aerial vehicles.
Russian President Vladimir Putin participates, via videoconference, in the ceremony to raise the national flag of the Russian Federation on the ferry Marshal Rokossovsky.on Friday.
The Marshal Rokossovsky is Russia’s first Arc4 ice-class dual-fuel ferry designed to carry railway cars with Russia’s standard gauge of 1,520 mm, as well as highway freighters and passenger cars. The first railway cars will be rolled onto the ferry on March 4, after which it will operate on the Ust-Luga – Baltiysk line.
Using eco-friendly fuel on the ferry will reduce CO2 emissions by 20 to 30 percent compared to similar ships running on traditional heavy fuel, as well as achieve a more than 90 percent reduction in nitrogen oxide emissions and eliminate sulphur oxide and soot emissions altogether.
The flag-raising ceremony took place on the car and auto ferry complex at Ust-Luga, a seaport in the Leningrad Region.
Taking part in the ceremony, also by videoconference from Moscow, were Minister of Transport Vitaly Savelyev and Russian Railways CEO – Chairman of the Executive Board Oleg Belozerov, while Governor of the Leningrad Region Alexander Drozdenko, General Director of Rosmorport Sergei Pylin and his deputy for fleet management Vasily Strugov, as well as the ferry’s captain Alexander Vangonen joined the event via videoconference from the Leningrad Region, and Governor of the Kaliningrad Region Anton Alikhanov participated from the Kaliningrad Region.
Currently, a catastrophic humanitarian situation has developed in most of the territory of Ukraine, which, unfortunately, is rapidly deteriorating. The most difficult situation in Kiev, Kharkov, Sumy, Chernigov and Mariupol, as well as in a number of other settlements. In these cities today there is practically a humanitarian catastrophe, Chief of the National Centre for State Defence Control, Colonel General Mikhail Mizintsev reported on Friday.
"Despite all our calls, the Ukrainian Nazis block thousands of Ukrainian citizens, as well as a large number of foreigners, and do not let them out for evacuation to safe places. The terrorists of the national battalions continue to use civilians and foreign citizens as 'human shield," he added.
Today there are more than 7.5 thousand foreigners forcibly held as hostages in various settlements of Ukraine, including: in Kharkov - 3,189 citizens of India, 2,700 citizens of Vietnam, 200 citizens of Jordan, 30 citizens of Egypt; in Sumy - 576 citizens of India, 121 citizens of China and 100 citizens of Ghana, as well as 60 citizens of Egypt and 45 citizens of Jordan.
"Firstly, the Kiev regime has almost completely lost the ability to manage the administrations of the regions and districts of the country.
Secondly, civil law administrations in cities and towns of Ukraine are deprived of the right to deal with the civilian population, they are not able to solve elementary issues of a social and domestic nature.
Thirdly, in most cities and towns, national battalions of the so-called territorial defenсe are rampaging, and in fact they are Nazis and mercenaries who joined them, terrorists and bandits, including those of foreign origin." General stressed.
Ukrainian nationalists are preparing a provocation with the participation of Western journalists in Kharkov, Russian Defense Ministry Spokesman Igor Konashenkov reported on Friday.
"According to confirmed data, on Zhilardi Street, Kievsky District, in the private sector, multiple launch rocket systems are placed between the houses. Nationalists forbid local residents, including children, to leave their homes," he said.
Now mounts are ready for shelling the units of the Russian armed forces located outside the city.
"The purpose of the provocation is to cause the return fire of Russian artillery on the residential sector of Kharkov. All this is planned to be filmed on cameras with the subsequent transfer to Western journalists," Konashenkov stated.
According to the general, Russian armed forces provide assistance to residents of settlements liberated from nationalists.
The thought of nuclear war is constantly running through the minds of Western politicians but not the minds of Russians, Sergey Lavrov said on Thursday.
"I assure you that we will not let any provocations cause us to lose our balance. But if a real war is unleashed against us, this must be a concern for those who are hatching such plans," he added.
Russia have a military doctrine that describes the parameters and conditions for using nuclear weapons. There is no “escalation for the sake of de-escalation” there, though Western analysts claim otherwise.
According to Lavrov, talk of nuclear war has already begun.
"Look carefully at these statements and the characters who made them. First, NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said in a propaganda frenzy, trying to curry favour with the most radical forces in the West, that nobody would ban the North Atlantic Alliance from doing whatever it wants, even if it suddenly decides to deploy nuclear weapons in Eastern Europe. To begin with, NATO cannot decide where to deploy nuclear weapons. It does not have them. The Americans do. Stoltenberg’s comment was very revealing," he noted.
Next, Vladimir Zelensky started saying that they would renege on their obligations as a non-nuclear state and acquire nuclear weapons.
"Do not forget to look at what was said by my colleague, Foreign Minister of France Jean-Yves le Drian. He loves to show off, you know. The rooster is a national symbol of France. They often get cocky.
During one of his chats with the world, he said Vladimir Putin must remember that France also has nuclear weapons," Minister continued.
Recalled Lavrov and the statements of his "favorite."
"The recently appointed UK Foreign Secretary Elizabeth Truss said she was prepared for conflict between NATO and Russia," he said.
Well, finally, how without the "leader of the free world"?
"Please note what US President Joseph Biden has said. When asked whether there was any alternative to the current “sanctions from hell” he said World War 3 was the only alternative to these sanctions. It is commonly understood that World War 3 means nuclear war," Lavrov noted.
Russia are being told “not to worry because Ukraine or any other country joining NATO will not pose a threat to Russia’s security.” Why should the West tell us what our security needs are? Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said on Thursday.
"Just like the Americans decided for Germany and Europe what was needed for European energy security. They decided that Nord Stream 2 was something that the EU did not need for its energy security, which would be ensured instead by supplies of liquefied natural gas from the United States at multiple times the cost," he added.
According to Lavrov, this is not just the situation in Ukraine, the efforts to demilitarise and de-Nazify it, to prevent the continuing manifestations of genocide on its territory, putting a stop to any violence and ensuring for the Ukrainians an opportunity to decide their destiny themselves; no, it is the world order that is at stake. This is for a reason that the West is avoiding, in any way it can, giving a response to our implicit, clear-cut proposals on the security system in Europe that rely on existing agreements.
The destruction of the command and observation post of Aidar battalion by crew of unmanned aerial vehicle Inokhodets of the Russian Aerospace Forces in the territory of the Donetsk People's Republic. The target was hit by guided aerial munition.
The purpose of the provocation of the Kiev regime at Zaporizhzhya NPP is an attempt to accuse Russia of creating a source of radioactive contamination, Russian Defense Ministry Spokesman Igor Konashenkov reported on Friday.
On February 28, the Russian Armed Forces took control of Energodar city, the Zaporozhye nuclear power plant and adjacent territory. The military personnel of the Ukrainian National Guard who were guarding the power plant, even before the arrival of the Russian units, left the facility and disappeared in an unknown direction.
The station facilities and the adjacent territory were taken under guard by Russian military personnel.
Over the past five days, the personnel of Zaporizhzhya NPP continued the planned work on maintenance of facilities and control of the radioactive situation in usual mode.
However, last night, on the territory adjacent to the power plant, the Kiev nationalist regime attempted to implement a provocation.
On March 4, at about 2 a.m., while patrolling a protected area adjacent to the Zaporozhye nuclear power plant, a mobile patrol of Rosgvardiya was attacked by a Ukrainian sabotage group.
In order to provoke retaliatory fire at the building, heavy small arms fire was opened at the servicemen of the Rosgvardiya from the windows of several floors of the training complex located outside the power plant.
The firing points of the Ukrainian saboteurs in the building of the training complex were suppressed by the return fire of the Russian patrol from small arms. Leaving the building, a Ukrainian sabotage group set fire to the training building.
The fire brigades that arrived at the building put the fire out of the premises. At the time of the provocation, none of the full-time employees of the power plant was in the training building.
Currently, the staff of Zaporizhzhya NPP continues to work as usual, maintains the NPP facilities and monitors the radioactive situation. The radioactive background in the area of the nuclear power plant is normal.
Zelensky's prompt statements about the alleged threat to the nuclear power plant and his talks with Washington and London leave no doubt. The purpose of the provocation of the Kiev regime at a nuclear facility is an attempt to accuse Russia of creating a source of radioactive contamination.
All this testifies to the criminal intent of the Kiev regime or the complete loss of control over the actions of Ukrainian Sabotage groups with the participation of foreign mercenaries by Zelensky.
The Armed Forces of the Russian Federation continue to strike at the objects of the military infrastructure of Ukraine.
In total, 1,812 military facilities were hit during the operation, among them: 65 command posts and communication centres of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, 56 S-300, Buk M-1 and Osa anti-aircraft missile systems, 59 radar stations.
Also, 49 aircraft on the ground and 13 aircraft in the air, 635 tanks and other armored vehicles, 67 MLRSs, 252 field artillery mounts and mortars, 442 units of special military vehicles, as well as 54 unmanned aerial vehicles were destroyed.
Representatives of Russia and Ukraine at the second round of talks on Thursday agreed to jointly provide humanitarian corridors in places of the most fierce fighting. During the evacuation of residents in these areas, a temporary ceasefire is possible
As Presidential Aide Vladimir Medinsky, head of the Russian delegation, told journalists, the parties managed to find mutual understanding on a number of issues.
Russia and Ukraine agreed on the possibility of opening humanitarian corridors for the evacuation of civilians and the delivery of medicines and food to the places of the most fierce fighting.
Representatives of the military departments, according to Medinsky, also agreed on "a possible temporary cessation of hostilities in the sector of the humanitarian corridor for the period of the exit of the civilian population." Podolyak confirmed that the fire would stop only in these areas.
In the near future, the parties will organize special communication channels for organizing corridors and work out logistics procedures.
The parties discussed not only humanitarian problems, but also "the issue of a future political settlement of the conflict," Medinsky said. He did not disclose details.
The Ukrainian side, according to Podolyak, did not get the results that they expected, and the only solution concerned humanitarian corridors.
In the near future, the third meeting will take place, which may also take place on the territory of Belarus. As Podolyak specified, it will be organized at the beginning of next week.
According to the results of the third round, as Leonid Slutsky, head of the State Duma Committee on International Affairs, said, agreements can be reached that will need to be consolidated at the highest level and ratified in parliament. The deputy, however, made a reservation that in order to agree on the “political part”, not one, but several meetings may be needed.
Vladimir Putin held an operational meeting with the permanent members of the Security Council on a military special operation in Ukraine on Thursday.
The meeting was attended by Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin, Chairman of the Federation Council Valentina Matviyenko, Speaker of the State Duma Vyacheslav Volodin, Deputy Chairman of the Security Council Dmitry Medvedev, Chief of Staff Anton Vaino, Secretary of the Security Council Nikolai Patrushev, Interior Minister Vladimir Kolokoltsev, Minister of Foreign Affairs Sergei Lavrov, Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu, Director of the Federal Security Service Alexander Bortnikov, Director of the Foreign Intelligence Service Sergei Naryshkin, Special Representative of the President for Environmental Protection, Ecology and Transport Sergei Ivanov.
On March 3, in the settlement of Novoaidar, the forward units of the units of the People's Militia of the LPR, advancing on the village from the south, and the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation, moving towards it from the north, met.
The historic meeting took place at the checkpoint at the entrance to the city, where representatives of the parties discussed the current situation and began coordinating further actions to liberate the territory of the Lugansk People's Republic.
During the capture of the settlement, Russian military personnel also seized military equipment of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, including armored personnel carriers, combat reconnaissance and patrol vehicles and other equipment.
Russian President Vladimir Putin had a telephone conversation with President of the French Republic Emmanuel Macron on Thursday.
The presidents continued their frank exchange of views on the situation regarding Ukraine.
Vladimir Putin commented in detail on President Macron’s Address to the Nation on the Ukraine War, which he delivered yesterday, disputing many of the points. Thus, Emmanuel Macron described Russia’s statements about fighting Nazism in Ukraine as “lies.” In this connection, the President of Russia provided a well-corroborated explanation regarding the neo-Nazis’ substantial role in the state policy of Kiev. He pointed out that during the special operation to defend Donbass, Russia intends to continue its uncompromising struggle against the militants of the nationalist armed units, who are committing military crimes, including by deploying military equipment in residential areas and using civilians as human shields.
The President of Russia noted that Emmanuel Macron had not mentioned in his address that the Ukrainian leadership had sabotaged the Minsk agreements for the past seven years, or that the Western countries, including France, had done absolutely nothing to make Kiev implement them.
Moreover, they had closed their eyes to years of genocide against peaceful civilians in Donbass, which led to numerous casualties and forced hundreds of thousands of people to seek asylum in Russia.
Vladimir Putin put forth the details of Russia’s principled approach and terms in the context of talks with the representatives of Kiev. He reaffirmed that Russia’s priority goals were demilitarisation and a neutral status for Ukraine, so that it would never pose a threat to the Russian Federation.
It was emphasised that the goals of the special military operation would be attained in any case, and that any attempts to play for time by drawing out talks would only result in additional demands to Kiev being included in Russia’s negotiating stance.
Another point the President of Russia emphasised was that the Russian Armed Forces involved in the special operation, which is proceeding according to plan, are doing their utmost to save civilian lives. They are using precision weapons to destroy exclusively military infrastructure. The allegations about missile and bomb attacks on Kiev and other Ukrainian cities are untrue and are elements of the anti-Russia disinformation campaign.
Vladimir Putin reaffirmed Russia’s readiness for cooperation with its foreign partners to address acute humanitarian problems. He urged the President of France to join the efforts to ensure the safe evacuation of foreign nationals from Ukraine. He mentioned, for example, the large group of Indian students in Kharkov, whom the Ukrainian security services have taken hostage. Emmanuel Macron promised to take the issue up with the Kiev leadership.
It was agreed to continue contacts at various levels on the issues raised during the conversation.
At Thursday's briefing, Russian Defense Ministry Spokesman Igor Konashenkov emphasized that all mercenaries sent by the West to help the Kiev nationalist regime are not combatants under international humanitarian law and they are not entitled to prisoner of war status.
Please note that against the background of the encirclement and destruction of the main groups of Ukrainian nationalists by the Russian Armed Forces, Western countries have increased the dispatch of contract soldiers from private military companies to the areas of hostilities.
Foreign mercenaries who have arrived in Ukraine are committing sabotage and raids on Russian convoys of equipment and supplies, as well as aircraft covering them.
It is they who, evade getting into the frame of the phones of supposedly “local residents” in the propaganda videos distributed on social networks by the Ukrainian special services.
All attacks by foreign mercenaries are carried out using weapons supplied by the West to the Kiev regime.
We are talking about anti-tank systems Javelin (USA), NLOW (Great Britain) and man-portable anti-aircraft missile systems Stinger, the use of which requires serious training.
The US military intelligence has launched a large-scale campaign to recruit PMC contractors to be sent to Ukraine. First of all, employees of the American PMCs Academi, Cubic and DynCorp are recruited.
Great Britain, Denmark, Latvia, Poland and Croatia legally allowed their citizens to participate in hostilities on the territory of Ukraine. The command of the French foreign legion plans to send military personnel - ethnic Ukrainians to help the Kiev regime.
According to Zelensky, about 16,000 foreign mercenaries are expected to arrive in Ukraine in addition to the existing ones in order to compensate for the crushing military failures of the Ukrainian armed forces. For them, a visa-free regime is officially introduced.
Last week alone, about 200 mercenaries from Croatia arrived through Poland and joined one of the nationalist battalions in southeastern Ukraine.
Today, the Defence Attache at the Croatian Embassy in Moscow was summoned to the Russian Defenсe Ministry.
The military attache was pointed out to the illegal activities of Croatian citizen Denis Sheler, who participated in the hostilities in the south-east of Ukraine in 2015, forming detachments of Croatian mercenaries to be sent to Ukraine.
We noticed that we are aware of the arrival in Ukraine of about 200 Croatian mercenaries.
I want to emphasize that all mercenaries sent by the West to help the Kiev nationalist regime are not combatants under international humanitarian law.
They are not entitled to prisoner of war status.
The best thing that awaits foreign mercenaries upon arrest is criminal prosecution.
We urge citizens of foreign countries planning to go to fight for the Kiуv nationalist regime to think twice before the trip.
In total, 1,612 military facilities were hit during the operation, among them: 62 command posts and communication centres of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, 39 S-300, Buk M-1 and Osa anti-aircraft missile systems, 52 radar stations, Russian Defense Ministry Spokesman Igor Konashenkov reported on Thursday.
Also, 49 aircraft on the ground and 13 aircraft in the air, 606 tanks and other armored vehicles, 67 MLRSs, 227 field artillery mounts and mortars, 405 units of special military vehicles, as well as 53 unmanned aerial vehicles were destroyed.
The grouping of troops of Lugansk People's Republic, with the Russian Armed Forces fire support, continued offensive operation and reached the Krasny Lyman - Privolye - the northern outskirts of Severodonetsk.
The advance was 4 kilometers.
The units of the armed forces of Donetsk People's Republic narrowed the encirclement of Mariupol, and also took control of Vinogradnoye, Sartaka and Vodyanoye.
The Armed Forces of the Russian Federation, continuing successful offensive operation, seized control of Chistopolye, Novopoltavka, Zhovtneve and formed up the front line with units of Donetsk People's Republic.
Balakleya city was liberated from the nationalist battalions.
The Armed Forces of the Russian Federation are taking measures to ensure the safety of the civilian population of Ukraine.
In Borodyanka, where units of Ukrainian nationalists are located along with equipment in residential areas, civilians can safely leave the settlement through a specially organized corridor in Berestyanka direction.
Russian servicemen do not obstruct for the civilian population leave.
The Armed Forces of the Russian Federation continue to strike at the objects of the military infrastructure of Ukraine.
As a result of a long-range high-precision strike, a reserve technological radio-television centre in Lysaya Gora area in Kiev, which was used by the Ukrainian security service for psychological operations against Russia, was disabled.
There were no casualties or destruction of residential building.
In total, 1,533 objects were hit during the operation, among them: 54 control points and communication centers of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, 39 S-300, Buk M-1 and Osa anti-aircraft missile systems, 52 radar stations, Russian Defense Ministry Spokesman Igor Konashenkov reported on Wednesday.
In addition, 47 aircraft on the ground and 13 aircraft in the air, 484 tanks and other armored combat vehicles, 63 multiple rocket launchers, 217 field artillery and mortars, 336 units of special military vehicles, 47 unmanned aerial vehicles were destroyed.
Among the nationalists and servicemen of the law enforcement agencies of Ukraine, the losses are: more than 2,870 killed and about 3,700 wounded. Only according to confirmed data, the number of captured servicemen of the law enforcement agencies of Ukraine is 572 people.
Unfortunately, there are casualties among our comrades participating in a special military operation.
498 Russian servicemen were killed in the performance of military duty. All possible assistance is provided to the families of the victims.
1,597 of our comrades were injured.
I want to emphasize once again that neither conscripts nor cadets of educational institutions of the Ministry of Defence of Russia participate in a special operation.
The information spread by many Western and individual Russian media about the allegedly incalculable losses of the Russian grouping is purposeful disinformation.
Russian soldiers and officers show courage, bravery and heroism during a special military operation.
President Vladimir Putin signed the Executive Order On Measures to Ensure the Accelerated Development of the IT Industry in the Russian Federation.
In order to ensure faster development of the IT industry, the President instructed the Government of the Russian Federation to allocate funds from the federal budget in annual aid to support promising IT solutions.
The Government was also instructed to allocate funds to accredited organisations involved in the IT industry to improve the living conditions of their workers and raise their salaries; and to ensure that these organisations can be provided with concessional loans at an interest rate under 3 percent for maintaining operations and implementing new projects.
The Government is also to take measures to establish a profit tax rate of 0 percent for accredited organisations until December 31, 2024, and to simplify the hiring of foreign nationals by these organisations and obtaining residence permits for such foreign nationals.
Additionally, the accredited organisations will be eligible for tax concessions and incentives. They will be exempt from tax control, foreign exchange control and other forms of state and municipal control for up to three years. The Executive Order also provides for consolidating and stimulating procurement of critical domestic IT solutions and technologies for state and municipal purposes and specific legal entities, as well as simplifying such procurement.
According to the Executive Order, Russian citizens employed by the accredited organisations will be exempt from compulsory military service until the age of 27, as long as they continue to work for the said organisations.
The Government was instructed to make respective legislative amendments as necessary.
President Vladimir Putin resolved to take additional temporary economic measures to ensure the financial stability of the Russian Federation.
In connection with the hostile actions undertaken by the United States of America, joined by other foreign states and international organisations, which imposed restrictive measures on citizens of the Russian Federation and Russian legal entities in contravention of international law, to ensure the national interests of the Russian Federation and maintain its financial stability, in keeping with Federal Law No. 281-FZ On Special Economic Measures and Coercive Measures, dated December 30, 2006; Federal Law No. 390-FZ On Security, dated December 28, 2010; and Federal Law No. 127-FZ On Measures Impacting (Counteracting) the Hostile Actions of the United States of America and Other Foreign States, dated June 4, 2018 the President has resolved to take additional temporary economic measures to ensure the financial stability of the Russian Federation.
In particular, a special procedure for transactions is to come into force on March 2 for foreign nationals who are connected to the states that are undertaking hostile actions towards the Russian Federation and its citizens. The new measures concern transactions to issue ruble credits and loans to these foreign nationals, as well as transactions that result in the transfer of ownership of securities and real estate.
It is further noted that such transactions can be implemented on the basis of permits issued by the government commission on monitoring foreign investment in the Russian Federation.
Furthermore, transactions to purchase securities can be conducted by these individuals during on-exchange trading on the basis of permits issued by the Central Bank by agreement with the Finance Ministry of the Russian Federation that stipulate certain conditions.
In addition, this Executive Order also concerns transactions by nationals of any other foreign state that concern shares or real estate purchased after February 22, 2022 from the nationals of states that are undertaking hostile actions against Russia.
The document also adjusts certain measures stipulated in the Presidential Executive Order No. 79 On Imposing Special Economic Measures in Connection with the Hostile Actions of the United States in League with Other Foreign States and International Organisations, dated February 28, 2022.
In addition, the document introduces a ban on the movement of foreign currency in cash exceeding the equivalent of $10,000 out of the Russian Federation.
Russian Vladimir Putin had a telephone conversation with President of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela Nicolas Maduro at the Venezuelan side’s initiative on Tuesday.
Vladimir Putin shared his assessments of the developments around Ukraine and stressed that the goal of the special military operation was to protect civilians in Donbass, to ensure Kiev’s recognition of the Donetsk and Lugansk people’s republics as well as Russia’s sovereignty over Crimea, to demilitarise and denazify Ukraine, and to secure its neutral and nuclear-free status.
Nicolas Maduro expressed his strong support for Russia’s decisive actions, condemned the destabilising activity of the United States and NATO, and emphasised the importance of countering the campaign of lies and disinformation launched by Western countries.
The presidents also discussed topical issues of further promoting Russian-Venezuelan strategic partnership and the implementation of joint projects.
The grouping of troops of Lugansk People's Republic, with fire support from the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation, continuing successful offensive operations, and took control over Starobelsk and Svatovo settlements. Since the beginning of the special military operation, the depth of advance has been 75 kilometers, Russian Defense Ministry Spokesman Igor Konashenkov reported on Wednesday.
The grouping of troops of Donetsk People's Republic, having expanded the offensive zone, took control over Kalinovka, Lebedinskoe, Pionerskoe, Karla Marx, Nikolaevka And Osipenko settlements. Progress since the beginning of the operation amounted to 58 kilometers.
The units of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation established control over Tokmak And Vasylievka settlements, where Ukrainian servicemen refused to resist and voluntarily laid down their arms. After they sign receipts refusing to participate in hostilities, the Ukrainian servicemen will return to their families.
The Russian Armed Forces took Kherson regional centre under full control.
Civil infrastructure, life support facilities for the population and urban transport operate on a daily basis.
The city does not experience shortages in food and essential goods. Negotiations are ongoing between the Russian command, the administration of the city and the region to address issues of maintaining the functioning of social infrastructure facilities, ensuring law and order and the safety of the population.
The Armed Forces of the Russian Federation continued to strike at the military infrastructure of Ukraine.
In order to suppress information attacks against Russia, the technological facilities of the Security Service of Ukraine and the 72nd Main Centre for Psychological Operations were hit with high-precision weapons in Kiev city. The hardware broadcasting of the TV tower was disabled. As a result of the strike, the destruction of residential buildings was not allowed.
The forces of the operational-tactical and army aviation of the Russian Aerospace Forces delivered a massive air strike on the military infrastructure of Ukraine. 67 objects were hit.
In total, since the beginning of the operation, the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation have hit 1,502 objects of the military infrastructure of Ukraine.
Among them: 51 command posts and communication centres of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, 38 S-300, Buk M-1 and Osa anti-aircraft missile systems, 51 radar stations.
47 aircraft on the ground and 11 aircraft in the air, 472 tanks and other armored combat vehicles, 62 multiple rocket launch systems, 206 field artillery pieces and mortars, 336 units of special military vehicles, 46 unmanned aerial vehicles were destroyed.
Russian President Vladimir Putin had a telephone conversation with Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the United Arab Emirates Armed Forces Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan.
The conversation focused on topical issues of Russia-UAE cooperation. The leaders praised the level of interaction they had reached, including in the political, trade and economic and other spheres. They noted the importance of constructive joint work at international organisations, above all the United Nations, and reaffirmed their mutual commitment to further all-round development of bilateral relations of strategic partnership.
The implementation of OPEC Plus agreements was discussed. The parties stressed their intention to continue coordinated effort in the interests of maintaining global energy market stability.
The developments in Ukraine were reviewed. Vladimir Putin gave an exhaustive explanation of the reasons for the special military operation to protect Donbass as well as its goals and tasks. In his turn Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan stated that Russia has the right to ensure its national security.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov delivers remarks at the High-Level Segment of the UN Human Rights Council’s 49th session, via videoconference on Tuesday.
The situation around the world is becoming increasingly complex. It is deteriorating right in front of our eyes. This is because the United States and its allies persist with their aggressive efforts to impose the so-called “rules-based order” on other members of the international community. How has this “order” affected human rights? Ukraine is a telling example in this regard.
It is the policy of the Washington-led “collective West” which is to blame for the fact that the Kiev regime has been at war with its own people since 2014. It has been at war with everyone who does not agree with the neo-Nazi “Maidan values,” with the criminal policy of the Ukrainian authorities, which have been systematically violating human rights and the rights of ethnic minorities, as well as the commitments Kiev has within the UN and the OSCE, and even the Constitution of their own country.
Lies about the Second World War are being shamelessly inculcated. Hitler's local henchmen are proclaimed heroes, and actual anti-fascist heroes are forgotten. Monuments to those who defeated Nazism are being demolished. War criminals who fought in the ranks of the Third Reich are being glorified. The most recent step came in the form of the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine sending a draft law about Ukraine's withdrawal from the CIS Agreement on Perpetuating the Memory of the Courage and Heroism of the Peoples in the 1941-1945 Great Patriotic War to the Verkhovna Rada on February 23. And so it was utterly blasphemous for Vladimir Zelensky to declare, on the very same day, that he honours the memory of his grandfather who fought in the Red Army to liberate the Soviet Union and Europe from Nazism.
The former authorities headed by President Poroshenko, with the support of Washington, effected a church schism and created what is now known as the Orthodox Church of Ukraine. Laws have been adopted against the canonical Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the Moscow Patriarchate. Its churches are being seized, and millions of its parishioners and clergy are being persecuted. What is this other than a violation of religious freedom?
The West began to turn a blind eye to what was happening back in February 2014, when the radicals carried out an unconstitutional coup and tore up the agreement, backed by EU guarantees, with the then President of Ukraine. The putschists who came to power declared their intention of seeking alliance with the West and immediately launched an offensive against the Russian language, resolved to expel everything that is Russian from Crimea, and sent gunmen there. The eastern regions of Ukraine that opposed the coup were accused of terrorism, although they had not attacked anyone. On the contrary, punitive battalions were used against them; their cities were bombed from the air and fired at from artillery and multiple launch rocket systems. They destroyed civilian sites, schools, and hospitals. They killed civilians. An inhuman economic, transport and food blockade was imposed on Donbass. The Kiev regime got away with all of that. International organisations, at best, were limited to impotently calling on “both sides.”
The United States and its allies, which are directly responsible for numerous violations of human rights and international humanitarian law and are guilty of crimes that killed hundreds of thousands of people in Yugoslavia, Iraq, Libya, and Afghanistan, once again apply double standards. The current Kiev regime is a vivid example of the fact that when you are a loyal vassal of the hegemon and participate with particular zeal in serving his policy of containing Russia, you can do anything you like. You can trample upon human rights and freedoms, kill people, and cultivate neo-Nazi traditions and practices. In exchange for your absolute fealty and obedience, the “civilised” West will turn a blind eye to everything. Moreover, the other day, the European Union, in a fit of Russophobic frenzy, decided to supply lethal weapons to Kiev. For us, the life of every Russian and Ukrainian, every resident of Donetsk and Lugansk, is as valuable as the life of a European or an American.
"The West’s arrogant philosophy based on a sense of its own superiority, exceptionalism, and licence must come to an end," Lavrov stressed.
It is high time that US nuclear weapons were returned home and the related infrastructure in Europe, totally dismantled, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said in a video address to the Disarmament Conference.
"We find it unacceptable that US nuclear weapons remain on the territory of a number of European countries in circumvention of fundamental provisions of the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons. The faulty practice of joint nuclear missions involving non-nuclear NATO countries still persists. Scenarios for using nuclear weapons against Russia are simulated within their framework," he added.
Russia believes that obtaining legally binding security guarantees from NATO members is of paramount importance, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said in a video address to the Disarmament Conference.
"[Our] Western "colleagues" have not yet shown any willingness to provide Russia with long-term legally binding security guarantees. For us, achieving these objectives is of fundamental importance," Lavrov emphasized.
The minister stressed that the issue here is refusing NATO’s expansion any further, and abandoning the "Bucharest formula" (2008 Bucharest Summit) that sees Ukraine and Georgia becoming members of the US-led military bloc. "Western countries should refrain from establishing military facilities on the territory of former USSR states that are not members of the alliance, including the use of their infrastructure for conducting any military activity. It is necessary to return NATO’s military capabilities, including strike [capabilities], and NATO infrastructure to the state of 1997, when the NATO-Russia Founding Act was adopted," Lavrov concluded.
The exit of the Armed Forces of Ukraine to the Sea of Azov is completely blocked, Russian Defense Ministry Spokesman Igor Konashenkov reported on Tuesday.
On March 1, the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation carried out a strike with long-range air and sea-based high-precision weapons. Two airfields and three air defence radar posts were hit. The strikes excluded the defeat of civilian infrastructure and residential buildings.
In total, since the beginning of the operation, the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation have hit 1,325 objects of the military infrastructure of Ukraine.
Of these: 43 command posts and a communication centres of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
395 tanks and other armored combat vehicles, 59 multiple rocket launch systems, 179 field artillery and mortars, 286 units of special military vehicles were destroyed.
The grouping of troops of Lugansk People's Republic, with fire support from the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation, advanced from the beginning of the operation to a depth of up to 61 kilometers and blocked Svatovo village. Novoborovoe, Barykino, Klimovka, Bulgakovka, Golubovka settlements were taken under control.
The troops of Donetsk People's Republic conducted successful offensive operations, taking control of Ivanovka, Talakovka, Starodubovka, Berestovoe and Belotserkovka settlements. The depth of the group's advance over the past day was 19 kilometers.
Advance detachments of the People's Militia of the DPR reached the administrative border of the Donetsk region and joined the military units of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation, which took control of the regions of Ukraine along the coast of the Sea of Azov.
The exit of the Armed Forces of Ukraine to the Sea of Azov is completely blocked.
Moscow hopes that the Ukrainian side will finally see the necessity of an independent approach and the ability to negotiate at the talks between the Russian and Ukrainian delegations, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said on Tuesday in a video address to the United Nations Human Rights Council session.
"As you know, talks between Russia representatives and Kiev’s delegation have begun at [Ukrainian President Vladimir] Zelensky’s request. I hope the Ukrainian side will see the seriousness of the situation and its responsibility, will understand that it should demonstrate an independent approach and its ability to negotiate in order to avoid the recurrence of the situation with the Minsk agreements," he said.
The Russian-Ukrainian talks were held on Monday. The talks lasted for five hours. The Russian delegation was led by presidential aide Vladimir Medinsky, who said earlier that the Russian delegation was ready to speak with the Ukrainian side as long as it may take to reach agreements. He also said that the delegations had preliminarily agreed to hold the next round of talks in Belarus.
The main task of the special operation in Ukraine is to protect Russia from the Western military threat, Russian Defense Minister Sergey Shoigu said on Tuesday.
"The main task is to protect Russia from the military threat, being created by the Western countries, which try to use the Ukrainian people against our country," Shoigu said in a distance conference on Tuesday.
He stressed that the Russian forces were not occupying the Ukrainian territory and that every measure was being taken to save the lives and maintain the security of local civilians.
"Let me stress that all strikes are targeted against military facilities and exclusively smart weapons are being used," he added.
In total, the Russian Armed Forces hit 1,146 objects of the military infrastructure of Ukraine, Russian Defense Ministry Spokesman Igor Konashenkov summed up Monday.
Among them: 31 command posts and communication centres of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, 81 S-300, Buk M-1 and Osa anti-aircraft missile systems, 75 radar stations.
Operational tactical aviation of the Russian Aerospace Forces hit 6 columns of armored vehicles of the Ukrainian armed forces.
311 tanks and other armored combat vehicles, 42 aircraft (on the ground), 51 multiple rocket launchers, 147 field artillery mounts and mortars, 263 units of special military vehicles were destroyed.
Over the past 24 hours, another 110 Ukrainian servicemen have voluntarily laid down their arms.
The grouping of troops of Lugansk People's Republic during the day continued to conduct offensive operations in the direction of Kremennoe settlement, moving forward another 3 kilometers.
The units of the armed forces of Donetsk People's Republic advanced 16 kilometers in a day and captured Zamozhnoe settlement.
In a phone call with French President Emmanuel Macron, Russian President Vladimir Putin said that the settlement of the situation around Ukraine is possible only if Moscow’s interests are taken into account unconditionally, the Kremlin press service reported.
"Vladimir Putin stressed that this settlement is possible only with unconditional respect for the legitimate interests of Russia on the security track, including the recognition of the Russian sovereignty over Crimea, the settlement of the tasks of demilitarization and denazification of the Ukrainian state and ensuring its neutral status," the Kremlin said.
"The Russian side is open to talks with Ukrainian representatives and expects that they will lead to the sought result," it stressed.
The presidents thoroughly exchanged views on all aspects of the developments in Ukraine. "The French side voiced known views concerning Russia’s special operation to defend Donbass and expressed hope for the soonest settlement of the ongoing conflict via dialogue with Kiev," the press service said.
"The Russian president drew special attention to the fact that the Russian armed forces do not endanger civilians and carry out no strikes against civilian facilities," the Kremlin’s press service said after the phone call.
Putin said that "the threat comes from the Ukrainian nationalists, who use civilian population as a human shield, intentionally deploy attack weapon systems in residential areas and step up the bombardments of Donbass cities."
The Russian and French leaders agreed to continue contacts. The conversation was long and had been initiated by the French side.
Russia was supposed to put an end to the 8-year war in the Donbass, Russian Defense Ministry Spokesman Igor Konashenkov stressed on Monday.
"Russia did not start hostilities. Russia is completing them.
Military actions by the regime in Kiev and the systematic destruction of the inhabitants of Donbass lasted 8 years.
During this war, more than 14 thousand people died, hundreds of children.
It was necessary to put an end to this. It was necessary to put an end to the endless threats from the Kiev regime against Russia. And Russia will do it," he noted.
The grouping of troops of Lugansk People's Republic, with fire support from the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation, is conducting successful offensive operations, advancing 23 kilometers.
Control was taken over Novaya Astrakhan And Borovenki settlements.
The units of the Armed Forces of Donetsk People's Republic, continuing the offensive, and blocked Mariupol.
All settlements that have come under the control of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation continue to live as usual. The life support facilities of the population are functioning, transport is working.
Most city administrations, in agreement with the command of the Russian troops, carry out joint enforcement of law and order and the maintenance of peaceful life.
I would like to emphasize that only officers and servicemen who serve under contract in the positions of privates and sergeants take part in special military operation of the Russian Armed Forces.
All attention is focused on the negotiations between Russia and Ukraine. They have been walking for about two hours near the Belarusian-Ukrainian border.
From the Russian side, the delegation is led by presidential aide Vladimir Medinsky.
Also present at the talks are deputy heads of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Defense - Andrey Rudenko and Alexander Fomin, head of the State Duma Committee on International Affairs Leonid Slutsky and Ambassador of our country to Belarus Boris Gryzlov.
Among the representatives of Ukraine: Defense Minister Oleksiy Reznikov, head of the faction of the ruling Servant of the People party David Arakhamia and adviser to the head of Zelensky's office Mykhailo Podolyak.
The meeting was supposed to take place the day before, but the Ukrainian delegation took a long time to get there.
Such a hitch is regrettable, said the press secretary of the head of the Russian state. There is no information about the course of the meeting yet, negotiations should go in silence, Dmitry Peskov added.
Russian President Vladimir Putin, at a meeting with the Cabinet on Monday, devoted to anti-Russian sanctions, once again called the Western community the "Empire of Lies."
"Mikhail Mishustin and I previously discussed this topic, keeping in mind, of course, the sanctions that the so-called Western community – as I called it in my speech, the “empire of lies” – is now trying to implement against our country," he said.
On Manday, Russian President Vladimir Putin visited the Khrunichev State Research and Production Space Centre, which is currently undergoing massive reorganisation, involving, in particular, the construction of the National Space Centre complex.
The reorganisation project is being carried out by the Moscow City Government and the State Corporation Roscosmos at the instruction of the President. As a result, a unique research and production, engineering and educational cluster for the space and related industries will be created in the Filevskaya water meadow that will employ over 50,000 highly qualified engineers, scientists, researchers and specialists.
The National Space Centre will be the centrepiece of the renovated area. Its construction will make it possible to pool together several key space industry organisations in one location – the central office and situation centre of the State Corporation Roscosmos, sectoral institutes, and other enterprises, which are currently scattered around Moscow. The National Space Centre will also incorporate a modern educational complex, youth design bureaus, a business support centre, exhibition pavilions and a centre for diversifying production.
In addition to the construction of the National Space Centre, the project envisages the preservation of the Khrunichev State Research and Production Space Centre’s manufacturing complex as well as a new research and production cluster of the Technopolis Moscow special economic zone. A part of the territory will be set aside for the construction of social facilities and residential buildings for the relocation of city residents as part of the housing renovation programme.
At present, 800 people are engaged in works at the facility. The construction is to be completed in 2023.
Russian aviation has taken air supremacy over the entire territory of Ukraine, Russian Defense Ministry Spokesman Igor Konashenkov stressed on Monday.
Over the past day, the Russian Aerospace Forces destroyed 8 Buk M-1 combat vehicles, S-300 and Buk M-1 air defence systems, 3 radio positions with P-14 stations, 4 assault aircraft on the ground and one assault aircraft shot down in the air.
In total, since the beginning of the operation, the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation have hit 1,114 objects of the military infrastructure of Ukraine. Of these: 31 command posts and a communication centres of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
314 tanks and other armored combat vehicles, 57 multiple rocket launch systems, 121 field artillery and mortars, 274 units of special military vehicles were destroyed.
The groupping of troops of Lugansk People's Republic, with fire support of the Russian Armed Forces, carried out successful offensive operations and established control over Khvorostyanka, Sukhanovka, and Artem settlements.
The units of the Armed Forces of Donetsk People's Republic, continuing the offensive, advanced another 19 kilometers. The Novyi Aidar was taken under control and Volnovaha was completely blocked.
The Armed Forces of the Russian Federation have taken control of Berdyansk and Energodar cities. Russian servicemen fully guard and control the area around Zaporozhye nuclear power plant. NPP personnel continue to work on maintenance of facilities and control of the radioactive situation in the normal mode. The radioactive background is normal.
The leadership of Ukraine and the authorities of the city, having announced a curfew, persuade the residents of the capital to stay in their homes. This once again proves that the Kyiv regime uses the inhabitants of the city as a human shield for the nationalists who have deployed artillery units and military equipment in residential areas of the capital.
It is also announced that groups of “Russian saboteurs” are allegedly operating in the capital, and the city itself is blocked.
The real situation is as follows.
Armed gangs of looters, robbers and nationalists are rampaging in Kiev, who received weapons as a result of the criminal decision of the authorities to distribute them uncontrollably to the population.
We appeal to the people of Kiev.
All civilians in the city can freely leave the capital of Ukraine along the Kyiv-Vasilkov highway. This route is open and safe.
Once again, I want to emphasize that the armed forces of the Russian Federation strike only at military targets. Nothing threatens the civilian population.
All nationalists involved in the abuse of Russian military personnel in violation of the convention on the treatment of prisoners of war will be found and will inevitably bear severe responsibility, Russian Defense Ministry Spokesman Igor Konashenkov stressed on Sunday.
"But we know how the Ukrainian Nazis treat the few captured Russian servicemen.
And we see that the tortures are the same as those of the German Nazis and their henchmen-policemen in the Great Patriotic War.
I want to emphasize.
All faces, voices, phone numbers, their coordinates, IP addresses, as well as the correspondence of all Ukrainian Nazis involved in the abuse of our comrades are recorded and identified.
This also applies to the leaders of the Kiev regime and their executors, who directly call for bullying of Russian military personnel in violation of the convention on the treatment of prisoners of war.
All of you will be found and will inevitably bear severe responsibility," he added.
The grouping of troops of Lugansk People's Republic, with fire support from the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation, successfully advanced another 4 kilometers deep into the enemy's defenсe.
The units of Donetsk People's Republic, having overcome the resistance of the nationalist units, advanced another 6 kilometers. Nizhne, Granitnoye and Gnutovo settlements were liberated.
In total, the Russian Armed Forces hit 1,067 objects of the military infrastructure of Ukraine.
Among them: 27 command posts and communication centres of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, 38 S-300, Buk M-1 and Osa anti-aircraft missile systems, 56 radar stations.
Today, 7 anti-aircraft missile systems were destroyed, including one S-300 near Kramatorsk city. 3 attack unmanned aerial vehicles Bayraktar TB-2 were shot down in Chernihiv suburbs.
254 tanks and other armored combat vehicles, 31 aircraft (on the ground), 46 multiple rocket launchers, 103 field artillery mounts and mortars, 164 units of special military vehicles were destroyed.
Russian military personnel show courage and heroism in the course of carrying out combat missions of a special military operation.
There are dead and wounded of our comrades.
But our losses are many times less than the eliminated nationalists. And losses among the military personnel of the Ukrainian armed forces.
As for the Ukrainian prisoners of war, we will continue to treat with dignity all servicemen of the Ukrainian armed forces who laid down their arms.
We understand that they took an oath to the people of Ukraine. All who laid down their arms and ceased resistance will be returned to their families.
In response to aggressive statements in the West Russian President Vladimir Putin has issued orders to introduce what he described as a "in a special mode of combat duty" in the Russian army’s deterrence (Strategic) forces.
"Top officials in NATO’s leading countries have been making aggressive statements against our country. For this reason, I give orders to the defense minister and chief of the General Staff to introduce a special combat service regime in the Russian army’s deference forces," Putin said at a meeting with Defense Minister Sergey Shoigu and Chief of the General Staff Valery Gerasimov in the Kremlin on Sunday.
Putin stressed that the Western countries were also taking unfriendly actions against Russia in the economic sphere.
"I am referring to the illegitimate sanctions, which are very well-known to everybody," he added.
The meeting took place against a backdrop of Russia’s special military operation in Ukraine, which Moscow began in response to a request for assistance from the leaders of the Donbass republics.
The units of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, desperate to hold back the offensive of the group of troops of the Russian Armed Forces, began the massive use of ammunition filled with phosphorus in Kiev suburbs near the Gostomel airfield, Russian Defense Ministry Spokesman Igor Konashenkov reported on Sunday.
The grouping of troops of the Lugansk People's Republic, with fire support of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation, has advanced up to 56 kilometers and is rapidly developing the offensive,
The units of the armed forces of the Donetsk People's Republic advanced another 3 kilometers in the direction of Petrovskoe and completes the defeat of the reserves of the Vostok operational-tactical group. Control was taken over Anadol and Andreevka settlements.
In Severodonetsk, Luhansk region, nationalists, acting as barrage detachments, under the threat of execution of commanders, are trying to stop the retreating units of the Armed Forces of Ukraine and force them to continue resistance. Nationalist detachments killed 4 officers of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
Refugees arrive from the territories of the Luhansk People's Republic occupied by the Armed Forces of Ukraine. Currently, more than 300 families have arrived in Lugansk, who are receiving all the necessary assistance.
In Mariupol, assault detachments of the Right Sector that arrived from Lviv region are terrorizing civilians. Nationalists place armored vehicles and artillery in residential areas, using the local population as a human shield.
They use 122 mm shells for D-30 howitzers and rockets for BM-21 Grad systems, still of Soviet production.
The use of these munitions is prohibited by the third protocol of the 1980 UN Inhumane Weapons Convention.
The Russian special operation forces always honorably fulfill their military duty, protecting the country and its citizens and ensuring the national interests, President Vladimir Putin said while congratulating the servicemen and veterans on the Special Operations Force Day, which is celebrated on February 27.
"You have repeatedly demonstrated the readiness to act efficiently, clearly and competently in any difficult conditions, to handle the most challenging and responsible tasks, always honorably fulfill your military duty to protect your country and its citizens, to ensure Russia’s national interests," the head of state noted.
[I’d like to express] special gratitude to those who are heroically fulfilling their military duty during a special operation to provide an assistance to the people of Donbass," the Russian leader said
