President Vladimir Putin weighs in on root cause of Ukraine conflict
The Western-backed Maidan lit the fuse for almost a decade of turmoil, the president claims | The ongoing conflict in Ukraine would never have happened if there there hadn't been a coup in Kiev in 2014, Russian President Vladimir Putin insisted on Friday. He was referring to the violent overthrow of the elected president Victor Yanukovich. ● Speaking to mothers of Russian soldiers, Putin stressed that the Maidan resulted in direct foreign control over Ukrainian institutions, which Russia has no choice but to oppose. 💬 At the turn of the century, Russians were told everything would be great if they accepted outside control, and started “playing on someone else’s field,” Putin said. It was those outsiders seeking to control Russia that have created the current situation, “including in the zone of the special military operation,” he added. ● Without naming the West specifically, Putin said the outsiders had significant influence in Ukraine as well, but after 2014 they gained total control over the country.
Putin expresses regret over Donbass (11/25/22)