MOSCOW, February 24. /TASS/. Moscow intends to actively develop diplomatic contacts with the Donetsk and Lugansk People's Republics, Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova told NTV channel.

"Since our country has established diplomatic relations with the LPR and the DPR, we will actively develop these very diplomatic contacts with them now," Zakharova said.

Russian President Vladimir Putin said in a televised address on Thursday morning 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 in order to protect people "who have been suffering from abuse and genocide by the Kiev regime for eight years." 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.