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The Russian decision to declare partial mobilization and the referendums on the accession of Donbass, Kherson, and Zaporozhye to the Russian Federation is preoccupying the West, and until now, analysts and observers are busy explaining the reasons and consequences of the Russian steps.

The Russian ambassador to Lebanon, Alexander Rudakov, revealed in an interview with Al Mayadeen Net that, "the announcement of partial mobilization means calling up 300 thousand reservists to military service, from those who previously served in the ranks of the Russian army, who have combat experience, and are holders of the required military expertise."

"The Supreme Commander-in-chief of the Russian Armed Forces made this decision (Russian President Vladimir Putin), to confront the continues brazen, reckless and unprecedented aggression of the NATO military machine against Russia, that is carried out by the Kiev neo-Nazi forces," he added.

We have not declared war on anyone

The ambassador stressed that his country "has not declared war on anyone," stating that, "the decision of partial mobilization, which came in the context of the follow-up to the implementation of the military operation launched last February, and within its framework, is aimed at protecting our motherland, its sovereignty and territorial integrity, ensuring the security of the peoples of Russia and its residents, as well as the Ukrainian territories liberated from neo-Nazis, in addition to disarmament and de-Nazification of Ukraine."

And after the growing Western allegations about what is happening at the Zaporophya nuclear power plant, he added, "Unfortunately, lately nothing good can be expected from Western countries, they often "openly announce more aggressive plans against Russia".

The ambassador continued, "In spite of everything, we can only hope that reason will prevail and finds its way to the hot-headed Western officials, in order for them to accept that the changes taking place in the system of international relations cannot be reversed, and in order to realize that the territorial integrity, unity, independence and freedom of our motherland will be ensured by all means available to us."

A Western push to move the war inside Russia

The Russian ambassador emphasized that " the events that took place in recent months indicate the involvement of NATO countries in the events in Ukraine, and their increased military involvement there, just follow what Western politicians are saying," and added that "the United States and the European Union are pushing Kiev to transfer their military operations to Russian territory, declaring the need to inflict military defeat on our country followed by seizing of its sovereignty and dividing and looting it."

As for the regime in Kiev, the Russian diplomat stated that "it does not have independence, either in decision-making, or in operational actions, but receives its orders from Washington and European capitals. The process of pumping Ukraine with heavy weapons, mercenaries and NATO military experts continues, and they are also being used as a tool for the destruction of the Russian state," as he described it.

Talking about our weakness is a pipedream, and the partial mobilization includes only 1 % of military reservists

Upon being asked by Al Mayadeen Net interviewer about how some diplomats saw the partial mobilization decision as a sign of weakness, the ambassador replied, "We are being subjected to a fierce information and propaganda war. They are trying to discredit us in all pro-Western media, blaming us for all the problems of the world, right up to the global food and energy crises."

He went on saying that, "Part of this strategy is to spread false information about the Russian special military operation, where the process of fabricating false and fake news about the imaginary victories of Ukrainian nationalists is active on social media."

The Russian ambassador continues, "I assure you that when there is a discussion in the West about the decline of the Russian Armed Forces, or about our weakness, this is a pipe dream that has nothing to do with reality," stating that, "On the Izium front, we have carried out a tactical regrouping of troops, and as for mobilization, it affects only 1% of those who are subject to conscription into the reserve forces."

Rudakov adds that Russian troops, "are successfully operating on a military contact line and a combat front, exceeding a thousand kilometers, not only in the face of neo-Nazi formations, but virtually the entire military machine of the West," stressing that, "We prioritize the preservation of human lives, and military strikes are carried out with great accuracy, limiting them to confirmed military targets, or infrastructure components used in the performance of tactical missions," stating that Russia, "continues to provide humanitarian assistance to the population in the liberated territories."

We will achieve the set goals

As the ambassador recalls that the West provides the Kiev regime with "massive and substantial support," he assures that "Russia, as usual, has the appropriate means of response. The goals set for the special military operation will be achieved, at any cost," he said.

The Russian ambassador stated that he believes that "in the midst of the process of building a new, not Western-centered world order, the United States, dissatisfied with the loss of its global hegemony, forces into a sharp conflict," adding that, "the US is trying, with all its power, to weaken us and inflict maximum damage on Russia, which firmly supports the principle of equality of sovereignty among states."

It's not like us to use threats

Commenting on the statement made by the Deputy Chairman of the Russian Security Council Dmitry Medvedev, stressing that his country has the right to use nuclear weapons, if necessary, while strictly adhering to the basics of state policy in the field of nuclear deterrence. We ask the ambassador: is the Russian army threatening to use its most powerful weapons?" the ambassador responded firmly, "no, It is not like us to use threats," and added, "in fact, Russia, with unrivaled responsibility and patience, has always presented to its Western partners various options aimed at ensuring a complete, just and long-term global security system, but they did not listen to us," stating that Russia has, "called for the implementation of the Minsk agreements to settle the situation in Donbas, but they (the agreements) were openly sabotaged."

"Since the beginning of the special military operation, we have insisted on launching peace talks, this process had already begun, but it was thwarted at the request of the Western curators of the Kiev regime," the Russian ambassador announced, adding that, "Currently, they are trying to claim that NATO is a defensive alliance that is not directed against anyone, we simply can't believe it anymore," and continued to ask, "Who is providing support to the Ukrainian neo-Nazis, militarily, materially and politically and who supplies Kiev with weapons, including heavy weapons, prohibited by international conventions, and condones their use, including against civilians?"

The recent referendums are a restoration of historical justice

At a time when referendums on joining the Russian Federation were widely attacked by the West, Rudakov explains that these "referendums were held in accordance with all the rules of international law, and reflects the legitimate rights of the inhabitants of these regions of their to self-determination and the organizing their lives, in accordance with their civilizational, cultural and religious traditions."

The Russian diplomat attributes Moscow's support for the decision to join these regions to the Russian Federation, as "just an integral step on the implementation of the task set by the country's leadership to protect civilians from the atrocities committed there by neo-Nazis for years," and that, "this is the restoration of historical justice through the reunification of the native Russian lands in Novorossiya," as he said.

Winter in Europe will be difficult and harsh

In light of the energy crisis in Europe, Ambassador Rudakov assures that, "it is impossible to fully compensate the supply of cheap Russian gas to the European market in such a short period of time, winter in Europe is expected to be difficult and harsh," he stated.

"I would like to emphasize, once again, that Russia has never practiced any blackmail in the field of energy sources towards anyone, and has never refused to fulfill its international contractual obligations," confirming that, "despite the EU's statements that unilateral and illegal sanctions do not target Russia's agricultural sector, they continue to negatively affect World Food Security," and that, "Europe has not yet taken effective and clear steps to remove barriers to the export of Russian agricultural products (primarily wheat) and fertilizers to world markets," he said.

The Russian ambassador concludes his talk with Al Mayadeen Net by noting that "the EU restrictions are discriminatory, for example; Europeans are allowed to import Russian grain and potash fertilizers for their own needs, but transit to third countries is prohibited," insisting that, "it is difficult to stabilize the global food situation with such double standards."