ST. PETERSBURG, June 17. /TASS/. Russia had every right to recognize the Donbass republics under the UN Charter, President Vladimir Putin said, addressing the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum on Friday.

"When Kosovo declared independence, the International Court of Justice, pressured by Western countries, ruled that under the UN Charter, when a country declared independence, there was no need to seek permission from the central government," Putin said, adding that a precedent had been set then.

"It means that the Donbass republics did not have to ask Kiev for permission," the Russian president noted. "They declared independence. Did we have the right to recognize them? Of course, we did," he added.

Putin pointed out that Moscow had also signed treaties on mutual assistance with the Donbass republics and had since been providing them with military aid in line with Article 151 of the UN Charter.

According to Putin, while Russia’s actions with regard to Donbass "are completely legitimate," the launch of the US operation in Iraq was not. "No one had asked them to come, no agreements had been made, there had been no recognition of some new government bodies," Putin explained. "They just came and bombed the country," the Russian leader stressed, adding that the same had been done in Libya.