MOSCOW, March 3. /TASS/. Russia’s State Duma Speaker Vyacheslav Volodin has said that had not been for Russia’s operation in Ukraine NATO would have started war in that country with the Banderatives’ hands "literally the next day."
"Had Russia not begun its operation, NATO would have intervened with the Banderatives’ hands, with the Ukrainian neo-Nazis’ hands literally the next day. We took action on time. This means that we saved hundreds of thousands of lives," Volodin said on the Rossiya-24 round-the-clock television news channel in an interview.
Volodin stressed that currently every effort should be exerted to make Ukraine "a peaceful, independent and democratic country," not affiliated with any blocs.
"US President Joe Biden has said outright that the West is introducing sanctions against Russia because the sole alternative to them would be a third world war. Just stop to think: Ukraine was selected as a springboard for struggle against Russia," he said.
Russian President Vladimir Putin on February 24 launched a special military operation in Ukraine following a request for assistance from the leaders of the Donbass republics. He said Moscow had no plans for an occupation of Ukrainian territories. The sole purpose is the country’s demilitarization and denazification. The Russian Defense Ministry says its forces are not attacking cities. Their focus is entirely on military infrastructures. The civilian population is not in danger.