What did President Putin say before attacking Ukraine? (Full text of the speech)

Speech: What did President Putin say just before the invasion of Ukraine?

What did President Putin say before attacking Ukraine? (Full text of the speech)

Mar 4, 2022 6:25 p.m. Situation in Ukraine

March 4, 2022 18:25 Situation in Ukraine

On February 24, Russia suddenly invaded Ukraine. That day, just before the invasion, Russian state television broadcast President Putin's speech to the people.

What did President Putin say?

Here's the full speech:

On February 24, suddenly Russia attacked Ukraine. That day, before the attack, Russian Central Television broadcast Putin's speech to the people of the whole country. What did President Putin say?

The full text of the speech is as follows.

Speech by President Putin on February 24, 2022

Grand President Putin's Speech February 24, 2022

Sense of crisis over NATO's "eastern expansion"

THE SENSE OF CRISIS OF NATO'S EXPANSION TO THE EAST

Dear Russian people, dear friends.

Today, I think we need to revisit the tragic situation in Donbass and Lugansk in eastern Ukraine, as well as russia's key security issues.

Dear citizens of Russia, dear friends.

Today, the tragic events in Donbass (= eastern Ukraine) and, I think, as an important security issue for Russia, require an immediate response.

I would like to start with what I said in my speech on February 21. It is that fundamental threat that, steadily every year, irresponsible politicians in the West are blatantly and bluntly creating against our country, which evokes our special concerns and fears.

In a word, it is about the east expansion of NATO and the approaching to the Russian border by the armament.

First of all, I was going to start talking about it at my speech on February 21 this year. What makes us particularly uneasy and worried is the obvious and unceremonious and fundamental threats that irresponsible politicians in western countries make to the mainland every year.

That is, NATO is expanding eastward, and the armament facilities are close to Russia's borders.

It is widely known that over the past 30 years we have been persistent and patient in trying to reach an agreement with key NATO countries on the principle of equal and inseparable security in Europe.

What we have always faced with our proposals has been cynical deceit and lies, or attempts to pressure or extortion.

In the meantime, NATO is constantly expanding despite all our protests and concerns.

The military system is moving.

Again, it is just around the corner from russia's borders.

Over the past 30 years, it is well known that we have been working hard to reach consensus with the major NATO countries on the principle of reciprocal and inseparable security in Europe.

For our proposed solutions, we often face sneering deception or pressure, threats and intimidation.

During this period, although we were protesting and worrying, NATO continued to expand.

Military institutions are functioning.

Repeatedly, close to the borders of Russia.

The "order" that the West tried to establish has caused confusion.

The "order" established by Western countries leads to chaos

Why is this happening?

Where does the brazen attitude that I am superior, absolutely right, and can do anything I want from come from?

Where does our unconsidious and derogatory attitude to our national interests and supreme demands come from?

Why is this happening?

Where does such a brazen attitude come from when you are dominant, absolutely right, and do whatever you want?

Where did the attitude of not caring and contemptuous in view of the mainland's interests and reasonable demands come from?

The answer is obvious.

Everything is simple and clear.

At the end of the 1980s, the Soviet Union weakened and then completely collapsed.

The series of what happened at that time is still a good lesson for us.

The answer is obvious.

All is simple and straightforward.

At the end of the 1980s, the Soviet Union collapsed completely after its collapse.

All the events that took place at that time, even now, have become good lessons for us.

It clearly showed that the paralysis of power and will was the first step to complete decadence and oblivion.

At that time, we lost confidence for a while, and the balance of power in the world collapsed in no time.

As a result, conventional treaties and agreements have become virtually ineffective.

Persuasion and entreaty are of no use.

It is said that it is archaic, outdated, and not necessary that hegemony and the person in power do not like it.

It is the first step in power, in the paralyzing will, in the clear manifestation of total abandonment and forgetting. At that time, we temporarily lost our self-confidence, and in the blink of an eye, the world's power balance system collapsed.

As a result, previous treaties and agreements have in fact become ineffective. Persuasion and petitioning will not work.

What the hegemons and power people don't like is called old-fashioned, outdated, and unnecessary.

decadence

[Taiai] [taihai] ◎

【Automatic words・サ變/三類】

• 1. 颓废, rough. (To be soroy.) The wind is breaking. Also, its unhealthy memento. They were abandoned ）

In the blink of an eye

[In no time] [attoiumani] (1) or ◎

【Conjugations】

• 1. In an instant, in the blink of an eye, not a moment's work. (A moment.) ）

【Idiomatic sentences】

• 1. In the blink of an eye, in the blink of an eye.