MOSCOW, September 7. /TASS/. The special military operation has shown that Russia has been standing for its interests and protecting Russian-speaking population, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov said in an interview published on Wednesday in the International Affairs magazine.

"The past six months saw a radical change in what most people think is happening in international affairs," he said, "Russia has demonstrated that it stands for its interests and protects its citizens, Russian nationals, Russian-speaking people," Ryabkov added.

According to the diplomat, after all that had been going on for eight years in Donbass, "there was simply no other way out but to launch a special military operation." "Its goals will certainly, undoubtedly, be achieved, and the set tasks will be resolved," Ryabkov stressed.