The Russian army will continue the special military operation in Ukraine until it achieves its goals, Russian Defense Minister Army General Sergei Shoigu said.
"A group of the Russian Armed Forces will continue the special military operation until the goals are achieved," Shoigu said at a conference call on Tuesday.
Main task
Protecting Russia from a military threat from the West is the main task of the special military operation in Ukraine, the Defense Ministry chief said.
"The main thing for us is to protect the Russian Federation from the military threat posed by Western countries that are trying to use the Ukrainian people to fight against our country," he said.
The head of the Defense Ministry drew attention to the fact that the Russian military does not occupy Ukrainian territory and takes all measures to preserve the lives and safety of civilians. "I emphasize that strikes are carried out only on military facilities and exclusively with high-precision weapons," he added.
"Human shield"
The Ukrainian side places multiple rocket launchers, cannons and large-caliber mortars in the yards of residential buildings, near schools and kindergartens during clashes and uses civilians as human shields, Shoigu said.
"The Ukrainian side does not hesitate to use civilians as human shields in the course of military clashes. Multiple rocket launchers, cannons, large-caliber mortars are placed in the yards of residential buildings, near schools and kindergartens," he said.
He thanked the personnel "for courage and heroism, for conscientious and professional fulfillment of the assigned tasks."
On February 24, Russian President Vladimir Putin announced a special military operation in Ukraine in response to an appeal for help from the leaders of the Donbass republics. He stressed that Moscow's plans do not include the occupation of Ukrainian territories; the goal is the demilitarization and denazification of the country. According to the Russian Defense Ministry, the Russian military does not strike cities, but only disables military infrastructure, so the civilian population is not threatened.
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Photo: official website of the President of the Russian Federation
Based on materials from TASS