Russian President Putin asserts 'there can be no other motive' when talking about special military operation in Ukraine

On January 26, speaking at a meeting in St. Petersburg with students participating in a special military operation, Russian President Vladimir Putin said that his country is trying to end the conflict in Donbass, Ukraine.

Tổng thống Nga Vladimir Putin phát biểu trong cuộc gặp các sinh viên ở Saint Petersburg, ngày 26/1. (Nguồn: Sputnik)

Russian President Vladimir Putin speaks during a meeting with students in Saint Petersburg, January 26. (Source: Sputnik)

Stressing that Moscow decided to carry out a special military operation only to protect its interests, Mr. Putin stated: “When solving problems of this kind, there can be no other motives.”

In addition, the leader also declared the participation of all Russian people in defending the country, and stated that readiness to support the state in difficult times is a characteristic of the Russian people.

On the same day, January 26, the Russian Federal Investigation Agency said it had collected many Ukrainian identity documents and body parts with tattoos at the site where a Russian military plane carrying Ukrainian prisoners crashed two days ago near the border with the Eastern European country.

The body parts are being collected and DNA tested, some of which have distinctive tattoos similar to those found on Ukrainian prisoners of war that Russia has interrogated, the agency said.

Accordingly, the collected evidence also includes "personal documents of Ukrainian servicemen who died in the disaster, confirming their identities, as well as accompanying documents from the Russian Federal Correctional Service".

Earlier, Russian President Vladimir Putin announced that the Il-76 plane was shot down by Ukrainian air defense forces, whether intentionally or by mistake.

Mr. Putin also said that the results of Moscow's investigation will be announced in the next 2-3 days, but preliminary results show that the missile that shot down the plane was American or French.

In another related development, US House Speaker Mike Johnson said on January 26 that Congress was not ready to approve the extension of Washington's crucial military aid to Kiev in its efforts to counter Russia's special military campaign.

In a letter to lawmakers, House Speaker Johnson said the Senate "seems unable to reach any agreement."

Mr. Johnson also said that the Republican Party will not approve this issue in the House of Representatives in any case, which means that the US legislature will not pass the package to extend aid to Ukraine.

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