Russians race to flee country in bid to dodge Putin’s army call-up, with one-way flights selling out

Russian President Putin delivered his first speech to the Russian nation since the start of his war in Ukraine this morning – mobilizing his military reserves and issuing a new nuclear threat to the West.

The despot gave his own twisted version of the war so far, portraying NATO as the aggressors, saying that the Ukrainians are torturing their own citizens, and that Western leaders are plotting the destruction of Russia themselves.

Here is his speech in full:

Citizens of Donetsk and Luhansk, the People’s Republics of Kherson and Zaporizhia, and other people free from the Nazi regime.

We will talk about the steps to protect our sovereignty, the will and desire of our citizens to determine their own future, and the aggressive bloc of Western countries trying to maintain their supremacy at all costs – trying to block and suppress all independent development centers to brutally force their will on other people

The aim of the West is to weaken and destroy. They openly say that they succeeded in dividing the Soviet Union in ’91 and now it is time for Russia itself. Russia will be split into many regions and areas fighting to the death.

They had these plans for a long time. They supported gangs of international terrorists in the Caucasus. They encourage NATO to come to our borders. There is total Russophobia and many years of total hatred of Russia.

This is primarily in Urkaine. They turned the Ukrainian people into cannon fodder and pushed Ukraine into a war with our country

They started the war as early as 2014, using the military against the civilian population and organizing genocide, blockade and terror against people who refused to recognize Ukrainian power as a result of a military coup.

As usual, they refused a peaceful settlement of the Donbas issue and began to claim the right to use nuclear weapons. As it became clear before, a second major offensive in Donbas is inevitable and the decision for a preventive military operation was the only decision and absolutely necessary.

The main objective of liberating the entire Donbas remains unchanged.

The People’s Republic of Luhansk has been completely liberated from the Nazis. The struggle in the Donetsk People’s Republic continues.

The occupation regime has created a deep line of defense and therefore the part of our army and military units of Donbas use technology and people, and liberate the Donetsk People’s Republic step by step, village by village, and help people held hostage by the criminals established regime

As you know, the professional army participates in the special military operation, but volunteer units fight alongside them.

They have different nationalities, professions and ages. They are true patriots who protect Russia and Donbas by the cry of their hearts.

The Ministry of Defense was instructed by me to establish as soon as possible the legal status of these areas and also the status of the units of the Donetsk and Luhansk People’s Republics.

They must be the same as the professional army of the Russian army, including social guarantees, medical and financial supplies.

We must pay special attention to the procurement of the units of the Donbas using technology and ammunition.

Our army, based on the decisions of the Ministry of Defense and the General Command, has liberated the significant areas of Kherson and Zaporizhzhya from the neo-Nazis.

As a result, there is a long line of military contact – more than 1,000 km.

In Istanbul [peace negotiations with Ukraine] there was a very positive response to our proposals to ensure the security of Russia

But it was clear that the West was not happy with a peaceful decision, so after reaching certain compromises, Ukraine was ordered directly to undermine the negotiations.

The Kiev regime began deploying new gangs of foreign mercenaries and nationalists, and the army was trained to NATO standards and effectively commanded by Western commanders.

The repressive regime was intensified across Ukraine by the military that used the politics of terror and intimidation in 2014. It’s getting more and more barbaric and terrible.

The areas that have been liberated from the neo-Nazis and liberated from the war, it is the areas of Novorossiya that we are talking about – the regions of Kherson, Luhansk, Donetsk, Zaporzhizia – you have seen the barbarities of the neo-Nazis in the regions controlled by them. have been conquered.

The Banderas [supporters of a far-right Ukrainian leader] and the Nazi mercenaries torture the peaceful civilians.

More than 7.5 million people lived in the people’s republics of Donetsk and Luhansk, Zaporizhia and Kherson before the operation started.

Many were forced to become refugees, those who stayed behind are constantly bombarded with rockets and artillery from the neo-Nazis who attack hospitals, schools and commit acts of terror against peaceful civilians

We have a moral right to give people who are dear to us, who are being tortured, a chance to determine their own destiny.

The LPR and DPR parliament and the Kherson and Zaporizhzhya regions have decided to hold referendums on accession to Russia and have asked Russia to support such a move.

I emphasize that we will do everything we can to create safe conditions for holding the referendums, so that people can express their will and decision about the future. They are supported by us.

Dear friends, today our army is leading more than 1000 km on the front line, and they are confronted not only with the neo-Nazis, but with the collective military machine of the entire West.

In this situation, I consider it necessary to make the following decision appropriate to the threat we face.

In defense of our motherland, to ensure its security, territorial integrity, security of our people and in the free territories, I consider it necessary to accept the decision of the Ministry of Defense and the General Command for a partial mobilization in the Russian Federation. supports.

I emphasize that it is a partial mobilization. Only those currently in reserve will be called up, as well as those who have served in the military and have certain military skills. They will receive additional military training, taking into account the special military operation.

The decree has been signed, officially the chambers of the Federal Assembly and the State Duma will be informed.

The mobilization begins today on September 21, I order the heads of the regions to provide all necessary assistance to military commissars. I emphasize that Russian citizens who are called up as part of the mobilization will receive all guarantees, all benefits from those serving under contract

The Decree of Partial Mobilization includes additional measures to ensure government defense procurement related to military technology, and additional capabilities for its production.

All financial matters for the supply of defense factories will be resolved without delay.

In its aggressive anti-Russian policy, the West has crossed all borders.

We are constantly hearing threats to our people and some irresponsible politicians in the West are not just talking about providing Ukraine with long-range military systems that can hit Russia – it is already happening, we are talking about the border regions, in Belgorod and systems using strategic drones, airplanes, doing reconnaissance in the south.

There are plans in Washington and Brussels to move the military action to Russian territory.

They don’t just talk about Russia being destroyed on the battlefield, they talk about political, cultural and all other kinds of sovereignty with complete plunder. Now they’re talking about nuclear blackmail.

The Zaporzhzhia nuclear power plant was shelled. The High Representative of leading NATO states also said it may be allowed to use nuclear weapons against Russia.

Those who make such statements will be reminded that our country also has several weapons of destruction and in certain areas are even more modern than NATO weapons.

If there is a threat to the territorial integrity of our country and to protect our people, we will certainly use all the means at our disposal. I’m not bluffing.

Russian citizens can rest assured that the territorial integrity of our motherland, our independence and security will be assured. I will emphasize – by all means available to us

And those who try to blackmail us with nuclear weapons should know that the tables could turn against them

In our historical tradition, our people had it in their destiny to stop those who try to subjugate our motherland and it will happen now.

I believe in your support.