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quietus [soylentnews.org] writes:

Russia has invaded Ukraine.

Russian tanks and ground troops are invading Ukraine. Rocket attacks and explosions are reported from along the Belarussian border and the breakaway regions, while Russian troops are being reported in Ukrainian cities along the Black Sea coast. The attacks come from all the locations where the Russians had built-up their troops in the past months.

In a video call, Russian president Putin called it a "special military operation" with as aim the "demilitarization and denazification of Ukraine". His speech was rife with references to the history of Ukraine and the threat of NATO, claiming that negotations in the past 30 years have only resulted in "lies and blackmail".

The United States is the big culprit in all of this, according to Putin, having abused their powers after the fall of the Soviet Union: everywhere the West has installed "order", blood has been spilled.

Putin called the extension of NATO a "permanent threat to Russia", "a matter of life and death", and "a real threat to the continuing existence of our country".

"The circumstances require powerful and immediate action ... the People's Republic of Donbass has requested our help. Therefore I have decided, according to Article 51, part 7, of the Charter of the United Nations, in agreement with the council of the Russian Council and in agreement with the agreements on mutual friendship and support of the People's Republic of Donietsk and the People's Republic of Lugansk, to start a special military operation."

According to the Russian president, the operation has as its purpose to "protect people who have been subject in the past 8 years to humiliation and genocide by the Kiev regime "

Putin concluded his message with threatening language.

Whoever tries to stop us, and threaten our country, our people, should now that Russia's answer will come immediately and will lead to consequences which you have not witnessed yet in your history. We are ready for any outcome.

(Source [kremlin.ru], rapid translation from another translation)

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