TULA, February 2. /TASS/. An overwhelming majority of Russian citizens now stand by the Army and Navy, Russian President Vladimir Putin said at the Everything for Victory! forum in Tula. He described this as the basis for the success of Russian soldiers.

"An overwhelming majority of our country's citizens stand by the Army and the Navy. They are side by side with our fighters. This is the basis of our success," Putin said.

The soldiers on the frontline "feel this support, of course, which gives them more strength in order to fulfill the most difficult and dangerous tasks they perform."

Putin noted the contribution of medics and volunteers - "this is a broad movement throughout the country."

"People of different ages, not only schoolchildren, elderly people, all of them in one way or another take part in this tremendous joint effort," he emphasized. "This campaign probably involves 90% of the country’s population.".