LONDON (Reuters) – President Vladimir Putin stated on Saturday that Western sanctions on Russia have been akin to a declaration of war and warned that any try to impose a no-fly zone in Ukraine could be tantamount to coming into the battle.
Putin reiterated that his goals in Ukraine are to defend Russian talking communities by way of the “demilitarisation and de-Nazification” of the nation in order that it turned impartial.
Ukraine and Western international locations have dismissed this as a baseless pretext for the invasion he launched on Feb. 24 and have imposed a sweeping vary of sanctions geared toward isolating Moscow.
“These sanctions that are being imposed are akin to a declaration of war however thank God it has not come to that,” Putin stated, talking to a gaggle of ladies flight attendants at an Aeroflot coaching centre close to Moscow.
He stated any try by one other energy to impose a no-fly zone in Ukraine could be thought of by Russia to be a step into the army battle. NATO has rejected Kyiv’s request for a no-fly zone, on the grounds it might escalate the war past Ukraine.
Putin stated there have been no conscripts concerned within the army operation, which he stated was being carried out solely by skilled troopers.
“There will not be one conscript and we do not plan for there to be,” Putin stated. “Our military will fulfil all of the duties. I do not doubt that in any respect. Everything goes to plan.”
Putin dismissed considerations that some kind of martial regulation or emergency scenario could possibly be declared in Russia. He stated such a measure was imposed solely when there was vital inner or exterior menace.
“We do not plan to introduce any sort of particular regime on Russian territory – there’s presently no want,” Putin stated.
His authorities has clamped down on protests in Russia in opposition to the war.
(Reporting by Reuters; Editing by Frances Kerry)
