Putin accuses the West of “lying about peace” while “preparing for aggression”

“They cynically use Ukraine to weaken and divide Russia,” says the Russian president in his end-of-year speech

Dec. 31 () –

Russian President Vladimir Putin has again charged Western governments in his New Year’s Eve speech, in which he has accused the West of “lying about peace” while “preparing for aggression”, with Ukraine as the supposed pawn in a larger conflict.

“They cynically use Ukraine to weaken and divide Russia,” said the Russian president, who instead of addressing the nation from the Kremlin, recorded his speech from the offices of the southern military district, that is, together with the military who are directly participating in the military offensive launched in February on Ukraine.

Putin has affirmed that now the West “confesses without any qualms” that they did not seek peace and that in no case did they want to solve the “serious conflict” in Donbas, the eastern part of Ukraine where a separatist rebellion broke out in 2014.

“In reality, they supported in all areas the neo-Nazis, who continued to carry out openly terrorist military actions against the civilians of the people’s republics,” added the Russian president.

Putin, in fact, has stressed that the offensive that began in February was only intended to defend civilians who “for eight years have been victims of a genocide” by the Ukrainian authorities, according to excerpts of the speech collected by official news agencies.

The broadcast of this speech has coincided with a new wave of air strikes on different regions of Ukraine, including kyiv, where at least one person has died and several more have been injured.

“WAR OF SANCTIONS”

The Russian president has also charged against the “war of sanctions” started as a result of the invasion of Ukraine, although he has claimed the strength of the country against those who expected its “total destruction”.

Regarding the Russian soldiers who died in the framework of these operations, Putin has promised to help families to “raise their children”, giving them an education and helping them to have a job.