VLADIVOSTOK, September 12. /TASS/. Russian men sign contracts with the Armed Forces consciously and voluntarily, realizing that they will find themselves in a combat zone, Russian President Vladimir Putin said at the Eastern Economic Forum (EEF).
"People consciously get into the military service, realizing that they will end up at the frontline," Putin said. "Our men, Russian men understand what awaits them, that they may give their lives for the Motherland or suffer heavy wounds. They still go there consciously and voluntarily. They defend the interests of the Motherland," Putin stated.
Russian soldiers, heroes in the special military operation zone know that they are protecting their people, he pointed out.
"Here we were talking about the elections. They were held everywhere, including the Zaporozhye and Kherson regions, and the Lugansk and Donetsk republics. They were held in difficult conditions. I admire the courage of polling station workers," he continued. "There, when shelling started, when the enemy tried to shell polling stations, those people went into the cellars. When the shelling ended, they came back up and continued working," he said.
Putin also pointed out that some people in these conditions came and spent some time in lines to the polling stations. "This shows that our soldiers, our guys, our heroes who are fighting there know that they have someone to protect. We are protecting our people," Putin emphasized.
The 8th Eastern Economic Forum (EEF) is being held in Vladivostok on September 10-13, 2023. The slogan for this year’s forum is: On the Path to Partnership, Peace and Prosperity. The Roscongress Foundation is the event organizer. TASS is the EEF’s general information partner.