'Russia had to begin special operation to stop genocide in Ukraine': Russian Defence Min

Russian Defence Minister Sergey Shoigu stated on May 24 at a meeting of the CSTO Defence Ministers Council that Russia was forced to launch a special military operation to protect people from genocide and maintain Ukraine's nuclear-free and neutral status. He remarked that under Western patronage, Russophobic nationalist attitude evolved in Ukrainian society, and Russian language, Russian culture and the two countries' shared history were persecuted.

According to the minister, the Kyiv dictatorship shelled cities and villages in Donbass for eight years, killing more than 14,000 people and injuring more than 33,000. He went on to say all of Moscow's efforts to get Kyiv to implement the Minsk agreements had been futile because Ukraine had simply ignored them.

Shoigu emphasised, "In the emerging situation, Russia was forced to start a special military operation to protect people from genocide, as well as demilitarize and denazify Ukraine, ensuring its nuclear-free and neutral status."

Impact of Russia's 'special military operation' on its natives

When Vladimir Putin declared an invasion of Ukraine, war appeared to be far from Russia's borders. However, the fight was brought home within days, not through cruise missiles and mortars, but via an unprecedented and unexpected salvo of sanctions from western governments and economic punishment from corporations.

Many ordinary Russians are still hurting from the blows to their livelihoods and emotions almost three months after the invasion on February 24. The massive shopping malls of Moscow have become ghostly expanses of closed storefronts that were formerly inhabited by western merchants.

Thousands of Russians fled the nation along with the corporations, fearful of severe new government policies linked to the war that they perceived as a slide into full authoritarianism.

It is believed some young men may have left for fear of the Kremlin imposing an obligatory draft to fund its war machine. However, fleeing became considerably more difficult as the European Union's 27 member states, as well as the US and Canada, had barred flights to and from Russia.

Tallinn, Estonia's capital, was once a simple long-weekend destination 90 minutes by flight from Moscow, but now takes at least 12 hours to reach, via Istanbul.

(With inputs from agencies)

Image: AP