Thread by @m_suchkov

⚡️#Putin begins his address to the nation regarding his decisions on #Donbass

#Putin says a guide into history is necessary to understand where modern day events in #Ukraine stand, argues that today's Ukraine is a product of Bolshevik Russia, is a virtual assortment of different lands

Putin discusses Lenin principles of Soviet state & nation building,questions some decisions of the time ("not clear why did they [early-day Soviet leaders] seek to satisfy some nationalist ambitions"),adds the decisions were not senseless but concludes the principles were flawed

#Putin: "Modern day #Ukraine should be called "Ukraine named after Lenin", he is the creator of that state. Now they are crashing his monuments and seek decommunization. This works well for us. You want decommunization? We'll show you what decommunization is"

#Putin: Soviet leaders squeezed Donbass into Ukraine, sought only their political interests, didn't care about people. This set delayed action bomb under #Ukraine statehood and never satisfied nationalist sentiments.
Putin goes into dramatic criticism of Soviet legacy, decisions

So far it doesn't sound like a usual "address to the nation", rather Putin's reflection on decades of national history that provides the insight into Putin's thinking. This thinking is very critical of Soviet leaders, past decisions, full of desire to restore "historical truth"

#Putin:Following break-up of USSR,the modus operandi of #Ukraine wasn't that of cooperation w/ #Russia,but rather scroungerism. UKR chose the path of building its identity thru denial of historical commonality with Russia, oligarchs flirted w/ external forces to enrich themselves

#Putin presents his view of Maidan in 2014: Says corruption penetrated every branch of #Ukraine's gov, society which pushed people to the streets & the radicals took opportunity of the protest to seize power. #US, other foreign powers helped that protest

#Putin notes that Ukrainian nationalists took part in terrorist gangs that fought Russia in the N.Caucasus, also says #Moscow didn't forget the massacre of Odessa, claims RUS knows the perpetrators of the attack and will find and punish each of them

#Putin: Ukraine going in downward trajectory ever since the Maidan,populationgetting poor, country is virtually governed by foreign powers; laws, courts are run by foreigners; says that #US invested a lot in allegedly fighting corruption but the corruption only getting bigger

#Putin: the so-called pro-Western choice of #Ukraine means total de-sovereignitization of the country, its total de-Russification & impoverishment

#Putin pronounces multiple citations to show #Ukraine carries strategic plans to retake #Crimea by force, relies on foreign support for this, uses Islamist groupings to infiltrate the peninsula; raises concernes w/ #Ukraine becoming nuclear,suggests the West 'd be willing to help

#Putin: the level of interoperability between #Ukraine #NATO is such that UKR forces could be easilty managed and directed by Western powers; details #US deployments of military infrastructure across Ukraine, including in Ochakovo
P.S. en.topwar.ru/169402-stanet-…

#Putin: The West is now telling us that NATO has no aggressive intentions per Russia - we know the value of such promises.
Moreover, we fulfilled all of our committments, withdrew our troops from Germany, other countries, discussed different cooperation formats w/ NATO..

#Putin: "..I even asked @BillClinton at one point how would #US see #Russia's pledge to join @NATO . His public reaction was rather tepid. But the real attitude to this consideration came later, when #US supported terrorists in N.Caucasus, withdrew from treaties, etc.

#Putin: We know for a fact that had #Ukraine ever joined NATO the alliance - that lists #Russia as its main adversary - the flight time of NATO missiles would range from 4-10 min and reach the RUS territory as far as Volgograd. We'd never agree to such scenario.

#Putin: We realize the tremendous responsibility that #Russia bears for regional security and we've always rooted for diplomacy yet our key genuine security concerns were never addressed. They continue to scare us with sanctions & will continue to do so simply because we exist

#Putin makes clear that should #Russia secuerity be threated by the West Russia reserves right to military response - sounds pretty serious

#Putin: "#Kiev continues to disobey Minsk agreements, attacks Donbass while the so-called "civilized world" whose only self-proclaimed representatives are the Westr stand silent

⚡️#Putin: I deem necessary to take the decision that has long brewed - to recognize independence of Donesk People Republic & Luhansk People Republic.
We call on #Ukraine to stop mil assualts on their territories.Otherwise the responsibility for further bloodshed will lie w/ Kiev

⚡️HAPPENING NOW:
#Putin signed orders on the recognition of Donetsk & Luhansk People's Republics AND the two bilateral treaties (b/n #Russia and DNR and LNR respectively) on Friendship, Cooperation and Mutual Assistance.