After the Donetsk and Lugansk People's Republics (DPR and LPR) requested assistance in defending themselves against Ukrainian forces, Russia launched a special military operation in Ukraine on February 24.

Russia will finish the demilitarization of Ukraine, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said in an interview with Reuters.
 
"We really are finishing the demilitarization of Ukraine. We will finish it. But the main thing is that Ukraine ceases its military activity. They should stop their military action and then no one will shoot," he said.
 
According to Peskov, Russia has no plans to make any new territorial claims in Ukraine.
 
"They should make amendments to their constitution according to which Ukraine would reject any aims to enter any bloc. We have also spoken about how they should recognize that Crimea is Russian territory and that they need to recognize that Donetsk and Lugansk are independent states. And that’s it. It will stop in a moment," Peskov added.

Know more: Donetsk and Lugansk Republics

After the Donetsk and Lugansk People's Republics (DPR and LPR) requested assistance in defending themselves against Ukrainian forces, Russia launched a special military operation in Ukraine on the 24th of February.

"The protection of individuals who have been subjected to bullying and atrocities by the Kiev dictatorship for eight years," Vladimir Putin said.

According to him, the "demilitarization and denazification of Ukraine" would be carried out to bring all war criminals guilty of "bloody crimes against civilians" in Donbass to justice.

Before that, on February 21, after an unusually large meeting of the Russian Federation's Security Council, Russian President Vladimir Putin addressed Russian citizens, saying that he believed it was imperative to resolve to recognize the LPR and DPR's sovereignty immediately.