Putin's chilling declaration of war speech – read in full

Russian President Vladimir Putin has been speaking after he launched a “wide-scale invasion” on Ukraine.

Read what he had to say in full below:

Russia cannot feel safe and develop, exist without the constant threat emanating from the territory of the modern Ukraine.

Let me remind you that in 2000, 2005, we gave a military rebuff to terrorists in the Caucuses. We defended the integrity of our state, preserved Russia and, in 2014, we supported the people of Crimea and Sevastopol.

In 2015, the armed forces were used to put a reliable barrier to prevent the penetration of terrorists from Syria to Russia. There was no other way we could protect ourselves. The same thing is happening now.

You and I have simply not been given any other opportunity to protect Russia and our people, except the one we will have to us today.

Circumstances require us to act resolutely and immediately. The People’s Republic of Donbas appealed to Russia for help.

In this regard, in accordance with Article 51, part seven of the UN Charter, with the approval of the Federation Council of Russia and pursuant to the Federal Assembly, on February 22 of this year, (we) ratified treaties of friendship and mutual assistance with the Donetsk People’s Republic and the Luhansk People’s Republic.

I made a decision to conduct a special military operation. Its goal is to protect people who have been abused by the genocide of the Kyiv regime for eight years.

What we know so far:

• Russian forces have launched a major military assault on Ukraine, with reports of missile strikes and explosions in major cities.
• Ukrainian military command centres in Kyiv and Kharkiv have been attacked, as civilians look to flee the country.
• Military personnel in Kyiv claim to have shot down at least six Russian aircraft, having lost at least 40 troops in combat.
• Ukraine 'fighting hard' as Russians attack from north, east and south.
• NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg says Russia has launched a "cold-blooded", long-planned invasion.
• Boris Johnson insists we "cannot be allowed to be snuffed out" as Putin "unleashes war".

And to this end, we will strive for the demilitarisation and denazification of Ukraine, as well as bringing to justice those who committed numerous bloody crimes against civilians, including citizens of the Russian Federation.

At the same time, our plans do not include the occupation of Ukrainian territories.

We are not going to impose anything on anyone by force. At the same time, we hear more often lately from the West that documents signed by the Soviet totalitarian regime that fixed the results of the Second World War should not be implemented.

What can we respond to that?

The results of the Second World War, as well as the sacrifices made by our people on the altar of the victory of Nazism are sacred, but this does not contradict the high values of human rights and freedoms based on the realities that have developed during all post-war decades.

Let me remind you that not after the USSR was created, nor after the Second World War, no one asked people who lived in certain territories included in modern Ukraine how they themselves wanted to build their life.

Our policy is based on freedom of choice for all to determine their own future and that of their children.