Putin: "Ukraine Corrupt, Oligarchical, Ultranationalist, Russophobic"

Russian President Vladimir Putin has spoken on Russian television outlining the historical justification for today's recognition of the breakaway republics in Donbas.

• Putin delivered a lengthy monologue about the creation of the Ukrainian state during the Soviet Union. Putin identified a form of ethno-nationalism that began with Lenin as the root cause of the current crisis.
• "The mistakes of the leadership of the communist party led to numerous crises of today. Russia tried to help other post-Soviet states after the fall of the Soviet Union. The total profit from Russia for the Ukrainian budget USD$250 billion since 1991," said Putin.
• "The debt of the USSR was USD$100 billion. Russia took the burden of paying the entire Soviet debt and completed the process in 2017," Putin added.
• Putin accused Ukraine of stealing gas and blackmailing Russia.
• "Ukraine build their statehood by dismissing the historical experience of the Ukrainian people. This has built a Russophobic ultranationalist culture", Putin said.
• "Ukrainian state build on foreign model which has nothing in common with Ukrainian tradition to enrich the elite. Hundreds of billions stolen by oligarchs and hidden abroad," said Putin.
• "Virus of corruption replaced the sovereignty of regular Ukrainian people."
• "Maidan did not bring Ukraine closer to Democracy. It pushed Ukraine to civil war and created the crisis. 6 million people internationally displaced," Putin said.