MOSCOW, March 18 President Vladimir Putin discussed with the permanent members of the Russian Security Council the progress of the special operation on Ukraine, said Dmitry Peskov, press secretary of the head of state.
"The meeting discussed the current international situation, continued the exchange of views on the ongoing special operation of the Russian Armed Forces in Ukraine", he said.
According to According to the press secretary, Putin informed the members of the Security Council in detail about his numerous international telephone contacts. The meeting was attended by Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin, State Duma Speaker Vyacheslav Volodin, Security Council Deputy Chairman Dmitry Medvedev, Kremlin chief of staff Anton Vaino, Secretary of the Security Council Nikolai Patrushev, ministers Internal Affairs Vladimir Kolokoltsev, Foreign Affairs Sergei Lavrov, Defense Sergei Shoigu, FSB leaders Alexander Bortnikov and Foreign Intelligence Service Sergei Naryshkin, as well as Sergey Ivanov, presidential representative for environmental protection, ecology and transport. On February 21, in response to requests from the Donbass republics and after an appeal from State Duma deputies, Putin signed decrees recognizing the sovereignty of the Lugansk and Donetsk People's Republics of the People's Republic of China and the Donetsk People's Republic. Early on the morning of February 24, Russia launched a military special operation to demilitarize Ukraine. Putin called its goal «the protection of people who have been subjected to harassment and genocide by the Kiev regime for eight years.» According to the Ministry of Defense, the Armed Forces strike only at military infrastructure and Ukrainian troops. With the support of the Russian military, the DPR and LPR groups are developing an offensive. But the occupation of Ukraine is out of the question, Putin emphasized.