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Military operation in Ukraine

Russian military maintains security of UN, OSCE missions in Ukraine — Foreign Ministry

Maria Zakharova advised Russian citizens remaining in Ukraine after the evacuation of Russian diplomatic missions, who had been faced with "direct threats from nationalists" to contact the corresponding agencies in Russian territory or consulates in neighboring countries

MOSCOW, February 25. /TASS/. The Russian military takes all necessary measures to maintain the security of UN and OSCE missions’ staffers in Ukraine, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova told a news briefing on Friday.

"Russian military servicemen will take all necessary measures to guarantee the security of UN and OSCE missions in Ukraine… The threat to the staffers of international missions comes not from the Russian armed forces, but from Ukrainian nationalist battalions, which have become part of that country’s army but at the same time profess a totally barbaric logic," Zakharova said.

She advised Russian citizens remaining in Ukraine after the evacuation of Russian diplomatic missions, who had been faced with "direct threats from nationalists" to contact the corresponding agencies in Russian territory or consulates in neighboring countries, if need be.

Russian President Vladimir Putin on February 21 declared the recognition of the Donetsk and Lugansk republics. Treaties on friendship, cooperation and mutual assistance were signed with their leaders. On February 24, Putin said that in response to a request from the leaders of the Donbass republics he had made a decision to conduct a special military operation. He stressed that occupation of Ukraine’s territories was not in Moscow’s plans. The Russian Defense Ministry has said the Russian forces were not attacking Ukrainian cities. Smart weapons were being used exclusively against crucial military infrastructures. The civilian population is not at risk, the Defense Ministry said.

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Foreign policy Military operation in Ukraine

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