MOSCOW, December 14. /TASS/. The conflict in Ukraine is a tragedy, akin to a civil war between brothers, President Vladimir Putin said at the combined Direct Line Q&A and year-end press conference.

"What is happening now [in Ukraine] is a huge tragedy, a kind of civil war," he said.

Putin highlighted that it should not be forgotten how the conflict in Ukraine had started. "Well, let’s take three or four minutes here. It started with the coup in Ukraine in 2014," he began. "Before that, we had been doing our best for decades, decades to establish normal relations with Ukraine, I want to emphasize this. Even after what was in fact a coup, [former Ukrainian President] Viktor Yanukovych was not allowed to take office. He won the election, but they announced a third round. What is this but a coup?" the president asked.

Putin emphasized that Ukraine's constitution "did not provide for any third round." "This is such a slithery coup. Well we, okay, <...> we accepted it too. So what happened next? He won the next election after all. What did our so-called opponents decide to do? A state coup," he said.