Ukraine War - Russian MFA Spokesperson Maria Zakharova

Russian MFA Spokesperson Maria Zakharova on the anniversary of the Ukrainian assault on the Donbass.

On April 13, 2014 the Kiev regime began a civil war under the name Anti-Terrorist Operation against Donbass civilians who refused to accept the anti-constitutional coup by neo-Nazis.

For eight years we have been witnessing Kiev’s war crimes and the West’s indifference to the tragedy in Donbass.

Our attempts to make Kiev abide by the #MinskAgreements failed, including due to the position of the Western countries who were playing their own game with their military buildup in Ukraine, turning it into a bridgehead against Russia while hiding behind talk of “engagement” in the political process of peace negotiations.

Having exhausted diplomatic means of protecting Donbass and ensuring its own security, Russia was forced to launch a special military operation.