BRUSSELS, February 24. /TASS/. Leaders of states and governments of the European Union are expected to approve the second package of sanctions against Russia at a summit on Thursday over the military operation in Ukraine and will start working at the next one, which may include particularly the energy sector and visa restrictions, a high-ranked EU representative told reporters on Thursday.

The proposals on sanctions that the European Commission is to present, cover the financial sector, transport, ban on export, energy and visa policy, according to the representative.

Meanwhile, the EU does not yet have a decision on possible cutting Russia off, he said. When asked whether there is a decision to cut Russia off the SWIFT interbank payments system, he said that there is currently the second package of sanctions, adding that EU leaders have to discuss it.

Russian President Vladimir Putin said in a televised address on Thursday morning that in response to a request by the heads of the Donbass republics he had made a decision to carry out a special military operation. The Russian leader stressed that Moscow had no plans of occupying Ukrainian territories.

When clarifying the developments unfolding, the Russian Defense Ministry reassured that Russian troops are not targeting Ukrainian cities, but are limited to surgically striking and incapacitating Ukrainian military infrastructure. There are no threats whatsoever to the civilian population.