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Russia has information Kiev receives weapons from abroad — Putin

Vladimir Putin says he is certain the arms supplies will not help Kiev in the conflict

BUDAPEST, February 18. /TASS/. No outside weapon supplies will help Kiev in eastern Ukraine, the situation can be settled only by political means, Russian President Vladimir Putin told a news conference in Budapest on Tuesday.

According to the Russian leader, Russia has information that Ukraine is already receiving weapons from outside. "According to our data, these weapons are already being supplied," he said. "And there is nothing extraordinary about it.

Putin said he is sure the number of casualties will only grow in case of arms supplies but the result will remain the same as "the overwhelming majority of Ukraine’s troops don’t want to take part in the fratricidal war, far away from their own homes, but the Donbas militias are determined to defend their families."

According to the Russian president, the developments in eastern Ukraine stem from Kiev’s decision to start the military operation. "First, it was done by Mr. Turchynov who issued a decree on the so-called anti-terrorist operation, then President Poroshenko took a decision to resume combat operations and now it happens again," he said. "There will be no end to this if people responsible for vital decisions do not ultimately see that the problems cannot be solved by military means, that is can be settled only by peaceful means, that it is only possible through reaching accord with a part of their own country and ensuring their legal interests and rights."