“The situation in the Donetsk, Luhansk People’s Republics and the Kherson and Zaporozhye regions is very difficult,” Putin said.
The minister’s statements appeared in a video for Security Service (FSB), Foreign Intelligence Service (SVR) and Senior Security Officers (FSO) officers, who celebrate their “professional holidays” annually on December 20.
Vladimir Putin praised the work of the members of the Russian security services operating in the “new regions of Russia”, ensuring that the “people living there, Russian citizens”, depended on the “security” of these services.
The Kremlin leader, a former Soviet Secret Service (KGB) agent, called for “maximum vigilance” from counterintelligence services.
“It is necessary to strictly suppress the activities of foreign secret services and effectively identify traitors, spies and subversives,” Vladimir Putin said.
In September, the Russian president announced the annexation of four Ukrainian regions (Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhia and Kherson) partially controlled by the Russian military after holding local “referendums” condemned by Kiev and the West as sham.
However, in November Ukraine recaptured Kherson, the capital of the region of the same name, a major setback for Moscow, after a week-long counteroffensive and operations by Ukrainian guerrillas behind enemy lines.
The military offensive launched by Russia in Ukraine on February 24 caused at least 6.5 million internally displaced people and more than 7.8 million refugees to European countries, so the United Nations classifies this refugee crisis as the worst in Europe since World War II (1939-1945). )
At this time, 17.7 million Ukrainians are in need of humanitarian assistance and 9.3 million in need of food assistance and shelter.
The UN confirmed 6,755 civilian deaths and 10,607 wounded since the start of the war, underscoring that these numbers are far below the real numbers.
“Hardcore explorer. Extreme communicator. Professional writer. General music practitioner. Prone to fits of apathy.”