«The whole country» supports the Russian soldiers involved in the military operation in Ukraine, «in which we are advancing», and united «we can overcome anything». President Vladimir Putin said this in his speech before the assembled Houses of Parliament.
Then, turning to the West: "We too have weapons capable of reaching your territories." “The West is trying to drag us into an arms race, wearing us out and repeating the trick they pulled off in the 1980s with the Soviet Union.” And again: "They have tried in the past to fight Russia, but now the consequences will be very bad", added Putin, stating that however it is "nonsense to say that Moscow wants to attack Europe".
NATO countries that decide to send troops to Ukraine will suffer "tragic" consequences: "They have started - Putin said - to talk about the possibility of sending NATO military contingents to Ukraine. We remember the fate of those who in the past sent their contingents to the territory of our country. Now the consequences for any interventionists will be much more tragic."
«The military capabilities of the (Russian) armed forces have multiplied. They are confidently advancing in different directions" of the front, Vladimir Putin declared again: "We have preserved the unity of the country, we have not allowed it to be torn to pieces", he added, attacking the United States administration, accusing it of " wanting to demonstrate that they govern the world as before" and to engage in "demagogy" before the US presidential elections next November. Furthermore, according to Putin, Russia is "ready for dialogue" with the United States on issues of "strategic stability".
As for the future of Russia, "the fifth" economy in the world, Putin claims, "in the near future" it will become "one of the four major economic powers in the world".
(Unioneonline/D)
