MOSCOW, 1 Mar - RIA Novosti. The Russian army will continue a special military operation in Ukraine until the set goals are achieved, the main task is to protect Russia from an external military threat from the West, Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu said.
"The grouping of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation will continue to conduct a special military operation until the set goals are achieved," Shoigu said at a conference call on Tuesday.
According to him, a special military operation is being carried out "in order to protect the population of Donbass, demilitarization and denazification of Ukraine."
"The main thing for us is to protect the Russian Federation from the military threat posed by Western countries that are trying to use the Ukrainian people in the fight against our country," the minister said.
He stressed that the Russian army "does not occupy Ukrainian territory, takes all measures to preserve the lives and safety of civilians."
"I would like to emphasize that strikes are carried out only on military facilities and exclusively with high-precision weapons," the Defense Minister said.
