Putin asks Ukrainian military to ‘take power in your hands’: Top quotes from his address
A day after ordering Russian troops to invade Ukraine, Vladimir Putin addressed soldiers of the neighbouring country.
Russian President Vladimir Putin, in a televised speech on Friday, addressed the Ukrainian army, a day after he ordered Russian forces to launch a ‘special military operation’ against the country's neighbour in eastern Europe.
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Here are some top quotes from Putin's address:
(1.) ‘Overthrow the government’: The Russian leader called upon the Ukrainian troops to execute a coup in Kyiv and ‘take power in your hands.’
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(2.) ‘Drug addicts, neo-Nazis’: “It seems like it will be easier for us to agree with you than this gang of drug addicts and neo-Nazis,” Putin told Ukrainian forces, referring to President Volodymyr Zelensky's government in Kyiv.
(3.) ‘Terrorists’: He further accused the leadership in Kyiv of ‘acting like terrorists all over the world.’
(4.) ‘Ukrainian nationalists deploying rocket launchers’: Putin also alleged ‘Ukrainian nationalists’ will deploy multiple rocket launchers to residential areas of Ukrainian cities, including Capital Kyiv and Kharkiv, the second-largest city.
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(5.) ‘Ukrainian leadership hiding behind people’: The Ukrainian leadership, Putin remarked, is ‘hiding behind people so that it can blame Russia for civilian casualties.’
(6.) ‘American advisers misguiding Ukraine’: Hitting out at the United States, the Russian president said Kyiv is being ‘misguided by foreign consultants, primarily American advisers.’
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(7.) ‘Russian troops acting professionally’: Finally, hailing Russian troops, Putin said they are operating ‘courageously’ and ‘professionally.’ The troops, he said, are ‘successfully solving the most important task of ensuring the security of our people and our Fatherland.’
(With inputs from AFP)