MOSCOW, July 1. /TASS/. Russian President Vladimir Putin discussed with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi the progress of the special military operation in Ukraine and, in particular, drew attention to the escalation of the crisis by Kiev and its Western patrons, the Kremlin press service reported on Friday.

"At Narendra Modi's request, Vladimir Putin briefed [him] on key aspects of Russia's special military operation, stressing the dangerous and provocative nature of the line of the Kiev regime and its Western patrons to escalate the crisis and derail efforts to resolve it politically and diplomatically," the statement said.

Russian President Vladimir Putin said 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, noting that the operation was aimed at the denazification and demilitarization of Ukraine.

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.