KIEV, February 26. /TASS/. Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky says that Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed his complete support over Russia's special operation conducted in Ukraine in a phone conversation.
"India is a traditional global power. I discussed with Prime Minister Modi our counteraction to the aggressor. Received full support," he said in a video address to the nation on his Telegram channel on Saturday.
Earlier on Saturday, India’s Ministry of External Affairs reported that Modi discussed the situation in Ukraine with Zelensky expressing his readiness to facilitate the settlement process and expressed condolences over casualties and destruction. The Indian prime minister also expressed concern for the safety of Indian citizens, including students, in Ukraine.
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 in order to protect people "who have been suffering from abuse and genocide by the Kiev regime for eight years." The Russian leader stressed that Moscow had no plans of occupying Ukrainian territories.
Russia’s Defense Ministry reported later on Thursday that Russian troops were not delivering strikes against Ukrainian cities. It emphasized that Ukrainian military infrastructure was being destroyed by precision weapons.