Vladimir Putin, speaking in a televised address from the Kremlin nearly three weeks into Moscow’s invasion, says Western dominance is gradually coming to an end with unfolding event in Ukraine, warning the West would use ‘those who earn their money here but live over there’ as a ‘fifth column’ to ‘divide our society. ‘I do not judge those with villas in Miami or the French Riviera.
Or who can’t get by without oysters or foie gras or so-called ‘gender freedoms.’ The problem is they mentally exist there, and not here, with our people, with Russia,’ he said.
‘The West will try to bet on the so-called fifth column, on traitors… to divide our society.. to provoke civil confrontation… to strive to achieve its aim. And there is one aim – the destruction of Russia.’
He claimed that the conflict was merely a pretext for the West to impose sanctions because ‘they just don’t want a strong and sovereign Russia’ and insisted the ‘military operation’ in Ukraine is going to plan despite his troops’ advance remaining largely stalled on the outskirts of Kyiv.
But he also told Russians that ‘we are fighting for our sovereignty and the future of our children.
Moreso, Russia’s Foreign Ministry has announced that the US President Joe Biden and at least 12 other top officials had been banned from entering the country in a reciprocal response to US sanctions.
The measure also applies to the US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin.
A statement explained that it “is the consequence of the extremely Russophobic policy pursued by the current US administration”.
In response to Russia’s military intervention in Ukraine, the US banned Russian President Vladimir Putin and Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov. American also adopted sanctions that have now cut Russia off financially from the rest of the world.
Russia also put on its stop list Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Mark Milley, National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan, Central Intelligence Agency Director William Burns and White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki.
Also on the list are Deputy National Security Advisor Daleep Singh, US Agency for International Development chief Samantha Power, Deputy Treasury Secretary Adewale Adeyemo, and US Export-Import Bank chief Reta Jo Lewis.
Russia also banned from entry Biden’s son Hunter and former secretary of state and Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton.
The foreign ministry warned Moscow will soon announce additional sanctions against a range of “Russophobic” US officials, military officers, lawmakers, businessmen, and media personalities.
