Vladimir Putin announced this Sunday that the country’s Navy will add 30 new ships this year, in an intervention at the naval parade in Saint Petersburg on the occasion of Navy Day.
“Today, Russia confidently fulfills the large-scale tasks of its national maritime policy and is constantly increasing the power of its fleet. Only this year 30 ships of different classes will be incorporated into its composition”, Putin said in a speech broadcast live on television.
Not to mention Ukraine In his speech, Putin praised “the brave crews of ships and submarines.”
From a rostrum installed on one of the embankments of the Neva River, the president, who previously reviewed the ships aboard a boat, congratulated the members of the Navy and all Russian citizens on the occasion of the Navy Day.
“For centuries our fleet has been and remains the indestructible guardian of the borders of the Fatherlandtheir pride and glory,” Putin said.
He thanked the Navy personnel for the impeccable fulfillment of their tasks and their devotion to the country. “For the sake of Russia, our sailors give all their strength, show true heroism, fight bravely, like our great ancestors,” said the president, who in his speech made no direct allusion to the war.
At the St. Petersburg naval parade and at the Kronshtad roadstead, about 40 vessels participated, including boats and submarines.
Naval parades on the occasion of the Day of the Navy have been held today in the main ports of Russia.
He ruled out a ceasefire
Putin affirmed that there can be no ceasefire at a time when the Ukrainian army attacks, commenting on the peace initiative of African countries in a meeting last night with Russian media.
“There are things that are difficult or impossible to do. For example, one of the points (of the African initiative) is a ceasefire. But the Ukrainian Army attacks, is on the attack, as they say, carries out a major strategic offensive”, said the president, quoted by the official TASS agency.
In these circumstances, he added, Russia cannot be asked for a ceasefire. “We can’t cease fire when we’re attacked”, stressed the head of the Kremlin.
At the same time, he stressed that the Ukrainian troops have not made progress on any of the fronts. “Everywhere the enemy has been stopped and repulsed,” Putin emphasized, assuring that the Ukrainian forces suffer numerous casualties and that in some sectors the Russian troops go on the counteroffensive.
The president once again insisted that Russia has never refused to enter into peace talks with Ukraine, which – he stressed – has prohibited negotiations with Moscow by decree.
(With information from EFE and AFP)
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Source-www.infobae.com