Russian President Vladimir Putin made a unexpected televised address this morning shortly before it pounded Ukraine with explosions.
Announcing to begin “military operation” he said the two “people’s republics” of Donetsk and Luhansk – the breakaway Ukranian region of Donbas – had turned to Russia for help. To address their need, he said, Russia was launching a “special military operation,” aimed to “demiltarize” and “de-nazify” Ukraine.
Within minutes, Russian missiles hit targets in Ukraine. Putin alleged people living in Donbas were subject to “genocide,” a charge Ukraine has strenuously denied.
In an extraordinary passage next, he addressed members of Ukraine military saying “dear comrades,” telling them they had taken oath of allegiance to the Ukranian people and not to ‘anti-people junta”. “Don’t follow its criminal orders! I urge you to lay down your weapons and go home,” he said further.
He then rang his message to Ukraine and others saying, “Whoever tries to interfere with us, and even more so, to create threats for our country, for our people, should know that Russia’s response will be immediate and will lead you to such consequences that you have never experienced in your history.”
Finally, he slammed the West for ignoring his complaints about NATO’s expansion toward Russia’s borders and ended his short address with a hard-edged taunt , "I hope that I have been heard.”
