Russian President Vladimir Putin has defended his decision to deploy troops into "independent republics" Donetsk (DNR) and Luhansk (LNR) regions of Ukraine for peacekeeping functions.
Signing decrees at a ceremony in the Kremlin on Monday, Putin had announced an immediate recognition of the "independence and sovereignty" of the Donetsk People's Republic and the Lugansk People's Republic.
He asked the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation to support this decision and then ratify the Treaty of Friendship and Mutual Assistance with the both republics.
"I would like to say clearly, frankly, in the current situation, when our proposals for an equal dialogue on fundamental issues actually remained unanswered by the United States and NATO, when the level of threats to our country is significantly increasing, Russia has every right to take retaliatory measures to ensure its own security. That is exactly what we will do," Putin said in his long televised address to the nation.
The Russian state media today reported the draft treaties of friendship and mutual assistance with both entities which will last for at least 10 years.
"Of particular interest is Article 5, which gives both contracting parties the right to 'build, use and improve military infrastructure, bases and other objects on their territory'," revealed Russia Today quoting the details published on the legislature's website.
Article 6 bars both parties from “entering any blocs or alliances directed against either of them,” and will not allow their territory to be used for launching attacks against one another.
While Article 11 envisions free movement of citizens between the contracting parties, the Article 13, reveals the Russian media, also obligates the contracting parties to protect the "ethnic, linguistic, cultural and religious identity of national minorities" in their territories.
Putin demanded an "immediate cessation of hostilities" from "those who seized and hold power in Kiev", saying that all responsibility for "the possible continuation of the bloodshed" will be entirely on the conscience of the regime ruling on the territory of Ukraine.
"With the appearance of weapons of mass destruction in Ukraine, the situation in the world, in Europe, especially for us, for Russia, will change in the most radical way. We cannot fail to react to this real danger, especially, I repeat, that Western patrons can contribute to the appearance of such weapons in Ukraine in order to create another threat to our country," Putin said in his speech yesterday.
The Russian President said that the United States alone, since 2014, has allocated billions of dollars for these purposes, including the supply of weapons, equipment, and training of specialists. He alleged that, in recent months, Western weapons are coming to Ukraine just in a continuous stream, defiantly, in front of the whole world.
"The United States and NATO have begun the shameless development of the territory of Ukraine as a theater of potential military operations. Regular joint exercises have a clear anti-Russian focus. Last year alone, more than 23,000 servicemen and over a thousand pieces of equipment took part in them," said Putin.
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