MOSCOW, February 24 Russia will proceed from its own interests in the development of further events, the official said Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova. /3a5c3f18b87ab3330bf7922449497179.jpg» />17:15The Foreign Ministry promised a mirror response to European and US sanctionsOn Thursday morning, Russian President Vladimir Putin announced that he had decided on a special military operation to demilitarize Ukraine. In a televised address to the Russians, he said that the circumstances «require decisive and immediate action from us, the people's republics of Donbass turned to Russia with a request for help.» According to the Russian leader, all responsibility for the bloodshed will be on the conscience of the ruling regime in Ukraine. He urged the Ukrainian military not to follow the criminal orders of the Ukrainian authorities, lay down their arms and go home. Later, the Russian Defense Ministry stressed that the Russian Armed Forces do not launch any missile, air or artillery strikes on the cities of Ukraine: military infrastructure, air defense facilities are disabled by high-precision weapons , military airfields and aviation. The ministry assured that the civilian population is not in danger. About two hours later, the Ministry of Defense added that Ukrainian border guards «do not offer any resistance», Ukrainian air defense systems have been suppressed, and the military infrastructure of military air bases has been disabled. The military department denied the information of foreign media about the alleged downing of a Russian plane over Ukraine in the military department. /7e2c34c2ef26f71f64af17e329b03157.jpg» />17:11The US and the West have closed the door to security dialogue, Foreign Ministry saysPosted by: Daria Buimova
