issuing time:
Since February 21, the Russian-Ukrainian crisis has further escalated. Russian President Vladimir Putin recognized the independence of the separatist region of eastern Ukraine on the same day and sent Russian “peacekeeping” troops to the region. And Putin’s reason for attacking Ukraine in his national speech on the 21st was considered to be “amazing.”
Putin delivered a nearly 1-hour national televised speech on the 21st. He emphasized that Ukraine has never had the tradition of establishing an independent state, and the current Ukraine is a country “artificially” created by the former Soviet leader Lenin. He believes that modern Ukraine was created by Russia “by cutting off part of its own historical territory”, and Russia’s current actions against Ukraine are part of “de-communization”.
Putin said: “The events of the Soviet era cannot be changed, but these things should be said directly … Ukraine is not only a neighbor to Russia, but also a part of history.”
He further explained, “Modern Ukraine was created entirely by Russia, or rather, Bolshevik-Communist Russia… The process began almost immediately after the 1917 revolution. Lenin and his associates In a way that is very cruel to Russia itself – by separating, alienating part of Russia’s own historical territory.”
“Then Stalin incorporated into Ukraine some territories that had previously belonged to Poland, Romania and Hungary. In 1945, Khrushchev, for some reason, took Crimea from Russia and gave it to Ukraine … This is how the modern Ukrainian territory was formed,” Putin continued.
Putin believes that “Soviet Ukraine” is the result of the Bolshevik policy, while Lenin is the “founder and architect” of the country, and the recognition of Ukraine’s independence is a “landmine” planted by the former Soviet Union. He said that Ukraine had now become a “foreign-controlled puppet” and that “Russophobia” and “neo-Nazism” had developed locally.
He criticized the West for continuously providing arms to Ukraine, and it is only a matter of time before Ukraine joins NATO. He said: “After (Ukraine) joins (NATO), the military threat of Russia will increase, and the missile will fly to Moscow in 4 or 5 minutes.”
Putin finally shouted to the Ukrainian government: “Are you going to communism? Exactly what I want. But don’t stop halfway. We are ready to show you what real decommunization is.”
According to outside analysis, this televised speech is like Putin’s “declaration of war speech”. Russia’s actions against Ukraine have triggered strong reactions from countries such as Europe, the United States, and Japan. On February 22, many countries have imposed sanctions on Russia. However, the Russian side seems to be dismissive.
According to Reuters, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said on the 22nd, “Our European, American and British colleagues will not stop, nor will they be calm until they have exhausted all possibilities of so-called ‘punishing Russia’. They are already using Sanctions of all kinds to threaten us, or as they say now: the mother of all sanctions.”
He continued: “But we’re used to it. We know they will impose sanctions no matter what, with or without reason.”