MOSCOW, February 27. /TASS/. VEB.RF is largely focused on supporting projects in Russia, with this work to be fully continued, the press service of the corporation said in a commentary related to requests on SWIFT cutoff for Russia being readied.

"Both the financial messaging system and alternative channels will be employed regarding support of exports with correspondent banks," the corporation said, adding that it will continue facilitation of the implementation of projects aimed at the development of the country’s economy and improvement of the quality of people’s life, and that external restrictions do not affect this agenda’s implementation.

Russian President Vladimir Putin said in a televised address on February 24 that in response to a request by the heads of the Donbass republics he had made a decision to carry out a special military operation. The Russian leader stressed that Moscow had no plans of occupying Ukrainian territories. When clarifying the developments unfolding, the Russian Defense Ministry reassured that Russian troops are not targeting Ukrainian cities, but are limited to surgically striking and incapacitating Ukrainian military infrastructure. There are no threats whatsoever to the civilian population.

Western countries responded to the actions of the Russian authorities by slapping sanctions, both personal and sectoral, particularly concerning Russia’s state debt and banking sector.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said late on Saturday that the European Union together with the US, the UK and Canada intended to cut some Russian banks off the SWIFT interbank payments system, as well as freeze the assets of the Central Bank of Russia and impose a ban on the use of assets on the markets of countries supporting the measure, for businessmen.