There was a direct threat near Russia's borders, including an attack on Russia's Crimea.

APA's Moscow correspondent reports that Russian President Vladimir Putin said this in his speech at the Victory Parade in Red Square.

"Clearly, preparations were underway for the next punitive operation in the Donbas, an invasion of our historical lands, including Crimea. Kiev declared the possibility of acquiring nuclear weapons, and the NATO bloc began active military occupation of the adjacent territories.

Thus, there is a completely unacceptable threat to us and to our direct borders, "he said.

Putin said that Russia had responded to the aggression in a pre-emptive manner: "We have seen the development of military infrastructure, the work of hundreds of foreign advisers, the regular supply of state-of-the-art weapons from NATO countries. The threat was growing every day. The only right decision at the right time is the decision of a sovereign, strong, independent country. "

Putin noted that Donbas militants and Russian soldiers are fighting on their lands, where their ancestors defeated the enemy.

***

11:31

NATO countries did not want to hear us.

They had completely different plans.

Preparations were under way to attack Crimea.

APA's Moscow correspondent reports that Russian President Vladimir Putin said this at the parade dedicated to the 77th anniversary of the victory over fascism in Red Square.

"NATO has begun to occupy the territories adjacent to us militarily.

"It meant that clashes with neo-Nazis on our borders would be inevitable."