MOSCOW (AFP) – President Vladimir Putin on Thursday branded Ukraines attempt to crush a Moscow-backed separatist uprising in the east of the country a punitive operation and said Russia was fighting for its right to exist.It is indeed a punitive operation. But it is being conducted by the current Kiev authorities, Putin told his annual end-of-the-year news conference, side-stepping a question from a Ukrainian journalist.The reporter from Ukraines UNIAN news agency stole the limelight at the news conference, accusing Putin of conducting a punitive operation in the east of Ukraine.The reporter also asked how many regular troops the Russian president …read more
Source: Dunya TV
