MOSCOW, September 21. /TASS/. Russian President Vladimir Putin noted the immovable purpose of the special military operation in Ukraine of liberating the whole Donbass territory during a televised address on Wednesday, adding that the decision to carry out the operation was the only possible one.

"After today’s Kiev regime publicly rejected peaceful solution of the Donbass problem and, moreover, announced its claim to nuclear weapons, it became absolutely clear that another large-scale offensive against Donbass was inevitable. And later another offensive against Russia’s Crimea, against Russia would inevitably follow as well," he said.

"In this respect the decision on preventive military operation was absolutely necessary and the only possible one," the president said, adding that the main purpose of the operation, "the liberation of the whole Donbass territory," has been and remains immovable.

The allied forces are liberating Donbass as planned, Putin said. "The Lugansk People’s Republic has almost fully been liberated from neo-Nazis. The fighting in the Donetsk People’s Republic is underway," he said, adding that "during the eight years Kiev’s regime created a deeply echeloned line of permanent fortifications." "Taking them by storm straight forwardly would bring heavy losses, which is why our formations, as well as military units of the Donbass republics, are acting as planned, efficiently, using the equipment, protecting military personnel and step by step liberating the Donetsk region from neo-Nazis," the Russian president added.