MOSCOW, June 14. /TASS/. Russian troops came close to Kiev in February-March 2022, and Moscow mulled various scenarios then, but the decision to storm the Ukrainian capital was never made, Russian President Vladimir Putin recounted at a meeting with senior Russian diplomats.

"At that period, in February-March 2022, our troops approached Kiev. <…> But no political decision to storm the city of 3 million people was made," Putin said, rejecting any speculations about the issue.

That was actually an operation to force the Kiev regime into peace, the Russian president explained.

"The troops were there to push the Ukrainian side to talks, to try and find an acceptable solution and therefore stop the war unleashed by Kiev on Donbass back in 2014. [The move was aimed at] solving issues that threatened our country’s security, Russia’s security," Putin said.

Back then, both Moscow and Kiev did reach agreement that suited both sides, he concluded.