SIRIUS /Federal Territory/, March 6. /TASS/. Donbass turned to Russia for help and was expecting it, Russian President Vladimir Putin said at a meeting with participants of the World Youth Festival.

"Why cannot Russia do this, stand up to defend its people? What is more, not somewhere thousands of kilometers away from its national borders, but right next door, under our noses. Moreover, people turned to us and were waiting for this help," he said.