Russian President Vladimir Putin justified the invasion of Ukraine before a packed soccer stadium on Friday but coverage of his speech on state television was unexpectedly interrupted by what the Kremlin said was a technical problem with a server.
Speaking on a stage at the centre of Moscow’s Luzhniki Stadium, Putin promised to tens of thousands of people waving Russian flags and chanting “Russia, Russia, Russia” that all of the Kremlin’s aims would be achieved.
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“We know what we need to do, how to do it and at what cost. And we will absolutely accomplish all of our plans,” Putin, 69, told the rally from a stage decked out with slogans such as “For a world without Nazism” and “For our president”.
Dressed in a turtleneck and coat, Putin said the soldiers fighting in what Russia calls its “special military operation” in Ukraine had illustrated the unity of Russia.
People hold a banner reading “For Putin!” during a concert marking the eighth anniversary of Russia’s annexation of Crimea (RIA Novosti Host Photo Agency/Pavel Bednyakov via REUTERS)
Russian President Vladimir Putin waves at the supporters during the concert in Moscow (RIA Novosti Host Photo Agency/Alexander Vilf via REUTERS)
“Shoulder to shoulder, they help each other, support each other and when needed they shield each other from bullets with their bodies like brothers. Such unity we have not had for a long time,” Putin said.
As he was talking, state television briefly cut away from his speech and showed earlier pre-recorded footage of patriotic songs, but he later appeared back on state television.
RIA news agency cited Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov as saying a technical fault on a server was the reason state television had suddenly cut away from Putin.
Putin says the operation in Ukraine was necessary because the United States was using the country to threaten Russia and Russia had to defend against the “genocide” of Russian-speaking people by Ukraine.
Ukraine says it is fighting for its existence and that Putin’s claims of genocide are nonsense. The West says claims it wants to rip Russia apart are fiction.
Before Putin spoke, Russia’s stirring national anthem, with the words “Russia is our sacred state” boomed out across the stands of the stadium used in the 2018 Soccer World Cup along with more modern pop hits such as “Made in the U.S.S.R.”.
Pan-Slavist poetry by Fyodor Tyutchev, whose verses warned Russians that they would always be considered slaves of the Enlightenment by Europeans, was read out.
Russian President Vladimir Putin delivers a speech during the concert at Luzhniki Stadium in Moscow (Sputnik/Alexander Vilf/Kremlin via REUTERS)
Putin quoted Russia’s brilliant 18th century naval commander, Fyodor Ushakov.
“He once said that these thunderstorms will go to the glory of Russia,” Putin said. “That is the way it was then, that is the way it is now and it will always be that way. Thank you.”