MOSCOW, Feb 25 International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) Council next week will discuss the possible consequences for Russia due to the situation in Ukraine, said IIHF President Luc Tardif, who was quoted on Twitter by journalist Cathy Strang. «We are closely following what is happening in Ukraine. There are no comments and decisions yet. IIHF at the beginning of next week, where we will discuss this,» Tardif said in response to a question about whether the situation between Russia and Ukraine will affect Russia's participation in international tournaments and whether the IIHF will consider applying sanctions, including the deprivation of the right to host youth and adult world championships in 2023. On 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 called on the Ukrainian military not to follow the criminal orders of the Ukrainian authorities, lay down their arms and go home.
