MOSCOW, February 21. /TASS/. The vast majority of Russians have taken a principled stance in support of the special military operation in Ukraine, Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Tuesday in his annual address to the Federal Assembly.

"I am proud and believe that we are all proud that our multinational people, the vast majority of our citizens, took a principled stance regarding the special military operation, grasped the meaning of what we are doing and voiced their support of our actions to protect Donbass," he said.

"A real sense of patriotism emerged as the prime reason for this outward support, a feeling that is historically inherent in our people. It astounds you with its dignity and deep awareness of each - I emphasize each - of their own destiny with the destiny of their Fatherland," Putin stressed.

"Dear friends, I would like to thank the people of Russia for their courage and determination," the Russian president stated.

Putin expressed his gratitude to all Russian soldiers for their heroic efforts in the course of the special military operation in Ukraine.

"I would like to thank our heroes - Navy and Army soldiers and officers, Russian National Guardsmen, the staff of special services and all law enforcement bodies, fighters of the Donetsk and Lugansk corps, volunteers, patriots, who are fighting in the Bars army combat reserve," he continued. "I would like to extend my apologies for being unable to name everyone on the list during today’s address."

"You should know that when I worked on the text of this address I included an extremely long list of these heroic formations, but then decided against including it, because, as I have said, it is impossible to name everyone involved and I was just afraid that I would offend someone by leaving them out," Putin noted.

"My deepest bows to the parents, wives, and families of our defenders, doctors and paramedics, nurses, who save the wounded; railway workers and [transportation] drivers, who supply the battlefront; construction workers, who erect fortifications, rebuild houses, roads, civilian facilities; workers and engineers of defense-oriented plants, who work round-the-clock in endless shifts; farmers, who we depend on to ensure the country’s food security."

Putin also expressed his gratitude to teachers who take it upon themselves to take care of Russia’s young generations, "especially those teachers who actually keep working under complicated conditions near the battlefront."

The Russian president also praised the contribution of volunteers and journalists, particularly war correspondents, who risk their lives carrying out their duties on the battlefront in order to tell the truth to the world, as well as the contribution of pastors of Russia’s traditional religions, military priests, civil servants and businessmen.

Russia’s special military operation

On February 21, 2022, President Vladimir Putin announced that Moscow was recognizing the sovereignty of the Donetsk and Lugansk People’s Republics, (the DPR and LPR respectively). Russia signed agreements on friendship, cooperation and mutual assistance with their leaders. Moscow recognized the Donbass republics in accordance with the DPR and LPR constitutions within the boundaries of the Donetsk and Lugansk Regions as of the beginning of 2014.

Russian President Putin announced on February 24, 2022, that in response to a request by the heads of the Donbass republics for assistance, he had decided to carry out a special military operation in Ukraine. The DPR and the LPR launched an operation to liberate their territories under Kiev’s control.

From September 23 to September 27, 2022, the Donetsk People’s Republic and the Lugansk People’s Republic as well as the Kherson Region and the Zaporozhye Region held a referendum where the majority of voters opted to join Russia.

On September 30, 2022, President Putin and the heads of the DPR, the LPR, and the Zaporozhye and Kherson Regions signed treaties on their entry to Russia. Later, the State Duma and the Federation Council (the lower and upper houses of Russia’s parliament) approved legislation on ratifying these treaties, as well as federal constitutional laws on the accession of the four regions to Russia.