The armed forces of the Russian Federation purposefully slowed down the pace of the offensive during a special military operation in support of the Donbass republics.

This was stated by Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu at a meeting of the heads of the defense ministries of the countries participating in the Shanghai Cooperation Organization.

“During the special operation, we strictly observe the norms of humanitarian law.

The strikes are carried out with high-precision weapons at the military infrastructure of the Armed Forces of Ukraine - command posts, airfields, warehouses, fortified areas, military-industrial complex facilities.

At the same time, everything is done to avoid casualties among civilians.

Of course, this slows down the pace of the offensive, but we are going for it deliberately, ”said Shoigu, whose words are quoted by RIA Novosti.

He added that the Russian military in the liberated territories “organized systematic work to establish a peaceful life,” while the armed formations of Ukraine “use scorched earth tactics, grossly violate international norms, act like terrorists.”

“They use residential buildings, schools, hospitals, kindergartens as firing positions, place tanks and artillery in them, and hide behind the population as human shields.

They purposefully fire at and remotely mine populated areas with anti-personnel mines “Lepestok” with the clear goal of causing as much damage as possible to civilians and infrastructure, ”the head of the defense department explained.

The minister also pointed out that the Kyiv regime is cracking down on its own soldiers in order to prevent their voluntary surrender.

“Now a large number of Ukrainian servicemen, knowing about the humane attitude of the Russian side towards prisoners of war, voluntarily lay down their arms.

However, the Kyiv regime, in order to intimidate and prevent the surrender of others, as well as fearing revealing testimony, cracks down on its own soldiers, ”Shoigu said.

As an example, the minister cited the fact that the Armed Forces of Ukraine attacked the pre-trial detention center in Yelenovka, where Ukrainian prisoners of war were kept, including those from the Azov National Battalion *, as a result of which 50 people were killed and 73 more were injured.

In addition, the Russian side has evidence of Kyiv's violation of international standards for the treatment of prisoners of war.

Speaking about the goals of the NWO, he stressed that the need for its implementation was dictated by threats from the Kyiv regime to the residents of Donbass, and later to Russia, by refusing to comply with the Minsk agreements.

Shoigu pointed out that the special operation "is going according to plan, all tasks will be completed."

In his opinion, the supply of arms by the countries of the collective West to Ukraine only prolongs the conflict and increases the number of victims. 

The Russian Defense Minister also stated that the conflict in Ukraine has become another pretext for the West to unleash an economic and information war against Russia.

At the same time, Moscow's concerns were ignored on guarantees of mutual security, primarily on the neutral status of Ukraine, although the Russian side made "considerable efforts to form the legal foundations of stability in Europe in the new conditions."

“Today, a tough sanctions and information war has been unleashed against Russia.

And the conflict in Ukraine has become just another pretext for this.

The stated goal of the United States and its accomplices is the strategic attrition of Russia to eliminate competition and warn other states pursuing an independent foreign policy, ”Shoigu explained.

Also on russian.rt.com “Information provocations”: Shoigu rejected the possibility of Russia using nuclear and chemical weapons in Ukraine

Earlier, the Minister of Defense of the Russian Federation at the Moscow Conference on International Security pointed out that during the special operation the myth about the “superweapon” of the West supplied to the Ukrainian military was dispelled.

He also drew attention to the fact that Russia has not used and is not going to use chemical or nuclear weapons as part of a special military operation in Ukraine.

In turn, President Vladimir Putin emphasized that Russia launched the NWO in Ukraine in full accordance with the UN Charter.

Later, Shoigu, during the plenary session of the I International Anti-Fascist Congress, stated that the decision to hold the NMD was made due to unacceptable threats to Russia's security, while the Russian military had to face the "inhuman tactics of Ukrainian formations" that use civilians as a human shield and use civil infrastructure facilities for their own purposes.

* "Azov" - the organization was recognized as a terrorist organization by the decision of the Supreme Court of the Russian Federation of 08/02/2022.