MOSCOW, April 20. /TASS/. The tragedy unfolding in Donbass forced Russia to start its special military operation in Ukraine, Russian President Vladimir Putin said at a session of the Supervisory Board of the Russia - Country of Opportunities platform on Wednesday.

One of the participants in the talk, 12-year-old girl Diana told the head of state that eight years ago she had moved together with her relatives to Sevastopol from Lugansk.

"You said that much has changed in your life over eight years since you left Lugansk. Unfortunately, a lot has also changed in Lugansk and the Lugansk People’s Republic over these years but for the worse because bombardments, artillery strikes and combat operations had continued there over these eight years. And, of course, people were in a very difficult situation," Putin said.

As the Russian leader pointed out, "the life of people in Crimea and Sevastopol has been different and this is obvious."

"But it was the tragedy taking place in Donbass, including in the Lugansk People’s Republic that forced and simply compelled Russia to start this military operation that everyone knows well about today," the Russian president said.

"This operation primarily pursues the goal of helping people living in Donbass, our people living in Donbass," the head of state said.