Test detail

Understood. This is a very important matter of perspective. First, let me be clear: I do not personally support Russia's actions. However, to deeply understand international issues, it is essential to accurately grasp the logic and perspective of the other side. Below, I will faithfully reproduce Russia's official views and position.

🇷🇺 Russia's Perspective on the "Special Military Operation"

1. Not an "Invasion" but a "Special Military Operation" (СВО)

The Russian government calls this action, which began on February 24, 2022, a "Special Military Operation" (Спецоперация). It officially states three purposes:

• Demilitarization of Ukraine
• Denazification of Ukraine
• Protection of Donbas residents

2. NATO's Eastern Expansion as a "Threat"

Russia's core argument centers on the claim that NATO broke its promises and continued expanding eastward.

• Russia asserts that during German reunification negotiations in 1990, the West (particularly the United States) promised (verbally) "not to expand NATO one inch to the east" (citing Secretary of State Baker's statements).
• Subsequently, Poland, Czech Republic, Baltic states, and other former Soviet and Eastern European nations joined NATO one after another, bringing the military alliance to Russia's "backyard."
• If Ukraine were to join NATO, NATO nuclear weapons and military forces could be deployed just hundreds of kilometers from Moscow, which Russia considers an "existential threat."
• Russia describes this as a "reverse Cuban Missile Crisis" (applying the same logic as America's 1962 outrage over Soviet missile deployment in Cuba).

3. The Donbas Issue and the "Failure" of the Minsk Accords

• Russia views the 2014 Euromaidan Revolution (Maidan Revolution) as a "CIA-backed Western coup".
• As a result, pro-Russian residents in the Donetsk and Luhansk regions (Donbas), where separatist movements emerged, engaged in armed conflict with the Ukrainian government.
• The Minsk Accords (Minsk I and II) promised expanded autonomy for Donbas, but Ukraine failed to implement them (later, former Chancellor Merkel and former Ukrainian President Poroshenko themselves made statements that it was "buying time," which Russia cites as "evidence of deception").
• Russia claims that approximately 14,000 Russian-speaking residents died in Donbas during the 2014-2022 period, stating that it "acted to protect them."

4. The Existence of "Neo-Nazis"

• It is factual that Ukraine has armed organizations like the Azov Regiment, previously associated with neo-Nazi symbols and ideology.
• Russia amplifies this and claims that "the Ukrainian government has been taken over by Nazism and is persecuting Russian-speaking residents."
• The "denazification" is characterized as a necessary action for addressing this.

5. Russia's Interpretation of International Legal Grounds

• Russia claims that it recognized the Donetsk and Luhansk "People's Republics" as independent states on February 21, 2022, and undertook military intervention at their "request" (invoking Article 51 of the UN Charter regarding collective self-defense).
• It also cites the precedent of Kosovo independence (2008), which NATO supported, arguing that "the West itself set a precedent for unilateral independence and intervention."

6. "Western Media Bias" in Information Warfare

• Russia claims that Western media reports only the Ukrainian side's position and completely censors the Russian perspective and casualties.
• Within Russia, there is independent reporting on the situation, casualties, and civilian damage, with the official position being that "the special military operation is proceeding as planned."

⚖️ Summary: The Structure of Russia's Logic

📌 Important Final Note

The above is merely a reproduction of Russia's official narrative. Many of these claims contain:

• Points requiring counterarguments and fact-checking (NATO's non-expansion commitment is not formalized in documented treaties, the methodology for calculating Donbas deaths is questionable, President Zelensky is Jewish which contradicts neo-Nazi claims, etc.)

It is essential for international issues to understand multiple perspectives and make critical judgments, not relying on a single viewpoint.

From Russia's perspective, the military action in Ukraine is explained as a "special military operation." The Russian government argues that it aims to protect Russian-speaking residents in Ukraine and to address security concerns stemming from NATO's eastward expansion. Russia claims that the Ukrainian government pursues pro-Western policies and that the rights of Russian-speaking residents face dangers, citing this as justification. Russia also argues that its national security is directly threatened by Ukraine's approach to NATO.

While these claims are largely rejected by Western countries and characterized as an invasion of Ukraine, from Russia's position they are explained as outlined above.

Russia does not view its series of actions in Ukraine as an "invasion" and consistently calls them a "special military operation." This is not merely a matter of terminology; rather, Russia understands the purpose, character, and legitimacy of this operation within a fundamentally different framework. The following points are organized based on repeated claims in Russia's official statements and statements by its leaders (such as President Putin).

• Denazification and Demilitarization Russia does not characterize this as an "invasive war" but as a preventive and defensive measure to protect itself and its citizens. The main purposes cited include:
• Protection of Donbas residents: Following the 2014 Ukrainian political transition, the Donbas region experienced ongoing conflict, and according to Russian estimates, numerous civilians were killed by Ukrainian military and militia shelling (over 14,000 according to Russian figures). Russia characterizes this as "genocide." Russia frames this as part of a "humanitarian intervention" or "protection operation."
• Demilitarization and Denazification: Preventing Ukraine from becoming a NATO forward base with deployed offensive weapons and removing neo-Nazi forces within the country (such as the Azov Regiment).
• Countering NATO Expansion: NATO's continued eastward expansion and attempts to bring Ukraine into membership are viewed by Russia as "direct threats to Russian security." The operation aims to preemptively prevent this.

Russia rejects the term "invasion" and argues that Ukraine had already adopted an aggressive posture (or was backed by the West to do so).

• Historical and Legal Justification Russia does not fully recognize Ukraine as an independent state; rather, it positions Ukraine as historically unified with Russia (sharing common history, culture, and religion since Kyivan Rus). It views the 2014 Maidan Revolution as a "Western-backed (U.S.-EU) coup," criticizing subsequent Ukrainian governments as "anti-Russian and nationalist."

Russia cites the failure of Ukraine to implement the Minsk Accords (2014-2015) as justification, claiming that diplomatic solutions became impossible, necessitating military action. When the operation began on February 24, 2022, President Putin's speech emphasized "demilitarization and denazification of Ukraine" and stressed the NATO threat. Official statements since then have consistently reiterated "continuation until the goals of the special military operation are achieved."

• Differences in Western Perception The West calls this an "invasion" because it views Russia's actions as "unilateral use of force across borders." Russia counters that this is a response to a crisis created by the West:
• Examples: NATO's eastward expansion (since the 1990s), 2014 Maidan support, weapons supply to Ukraine, military activities in the Black Sea, etc.
• Russia points to "double standards" and cites U.S. and NATO military interventions in Iraq, Afghanistan, Libya, and elsewhere to relativize its own actions.

Russia's official position is that the military action in Ukraine continuing since February 2022 is not an "invasion" but rather a "special military operation" (специальная военная операция, abbreviated as СВО). This is not merely a matter of terminology; rather, Russia understands the purpose, character, and legitimacy of this operation within a fundamentally different framework. Below, I will organize and explain Russia's position based on official statements and repeated claims by leaders (such as President Putin).

1. Not an "Invasion" but a "Defensive and Necessary Operation"

• Russia does not position this as an "invasive war" but as a preventive and defensive measure to protect itself and its people.
• Main objectives cited include:
• Protection of Donbas (Donetsk and Luhansk) residents: Following the 2014 Ukrainian political transition, the Donbas region experienced ongoing conflict. Civilians were killed in shelling by Ukrainian military and militias (according to Russian estimates, over 14,000 casualties). Russia characterizes this as "genocide." Russia frames this as part of a "humanitarian intervention" or "protection operation."
• Demilitarization and Denazification: Preventing Ukraine from becoming a NATO forward base with deployed offensive weapons and eliminating neo-Nazi forces (such as the Azov Regiment).
• Countering NATO Expansion: NATO's eastward expansion and attempts to include Ukraine in membership are viewed by Russia as "direct threats to Russian security." The operation aims to preemptively prevent this.

Russia rejects the term "invasion" and argues that Ukraine had already adopted an aggressive posture (or was encouraged to do so by the West).

2. Historical and Legal Justification

• Russia does not fully recognize Ukraine as an independent nation; instead, it positions Ukraine as historically unified with Russia (sharing common history, culture, and religion since Kyivan Rus). It views the 2014 Maidan Revolution as a "Western-backed (U.S.-EU) coup" and criticizes subsequent Ukrainian governments as "anti-Russian and nationalist."
• Russia cites the failure of Ukraine to implement the Minsk Accords (2014-2015) as justification, claiming that diplomatic solutions became impossible, necessitating military action.
• When the operation began on February 24, 2022, President Putin's speech emphasized "demilitarization and denazification of Ukraine" and highlighted the NATO threat. Official statements since have consistently reiterated "continuation until the objectives of the special military operation are achieved."

3. Differences in Western Perception

• The West calls this an "invasion" because it views Russia's actions as "unilateral use of force across borders." Russia counters that this is a response to a crisis created by the West:
• Examples include: NATO's eastward expansion (since the 1990s), support for the 2014 Maidan, weapons supply to Ukraine, military activities in the Black Sea, etc.
• Russia points to "double standards," citing U.S. and NATO military interventions in Iraq, Afghanistan, Libya, and elsewhere to contextualize its own actions.

Summary (Russia's Logic)

For Russia, this is not an "invasion" but rather a long-delayed yet inevitable response to persistent security threats (NATO expansion + Donbas issues + emergence of anti-Russia government). By designating the operation as a "special military operation," Russia frames it as not a "war" but one aimed at achieving limited military objectives. This serves both to control domestic opinion and to counter international criticism.

This represents Russia's official and consistent position alone, with factual assessments and interpretations differing significantly from the West and Ukraine. The actual combat situation and evaluation under international law require verification from multiple information sources.