Russia will close the grain corridor if it is confirmed that the explosives for the terrorist attack on the Crimean Bridge were taken out of Odessa on a grain truck, the president saidASTANA, October 14.
/tass/. Partial mobilization will be completed in about two weeks, more than 220 thousand people have already been called up for it, Russian President Vladimir Putin told reporters on Friday following his visit to Astana.
He also touched upon the topics of the Ukrainian negotiations, noting that Moscow is always open to them, and the functioning of the grain corridor, which may be in question if it turns out that the explosive for the terrorist attack on the Crimean Bridge was sent this way from Odessa.
TASS has collected Putin's main statements.
About the grain deal
The grain corridor was organized under the pretext of exporting products to the poorest countries. Russia will close it if it is confirmed that the explosives for the terrorist attack on the Crimean Bridge were taken out of Odessa on a grain truck, but this fact has not yet been established. "If <... If it turns out that humanitarian corridors are being used to commit terrorist acts, then, of course, this will raise a big question about the functioning of this corridor."
The Ministry of Defense initially intended to call for partial mobilization of less than 300 thousand people. 222 thousand people have already been mobilized - 33 thousand mobilized are already in the units of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation, including 16 thousand in units involved in combat missions. The clueless nature of mobilization is associated with old forms of accounting that have not been updated for decades, "the information base is now being updated on a modern basis."
"Nothing additional is planned. No proposals have been received from the Ministry of Defense in this regard. And I don't see any need for it in the foreseeable future." Partial mobilization is almost over, it will be completed in about two weeks.
The line of contact in Ukraine is 1.1 thousand km: "It is almost impossible to keep it exclusively by troops formed from contract soldiers, especially since they take an active part in offensive operations. Mobilization is connected with this."
About the training of the mobilized
All those mobilized should be trained. The Security Council of the Russian Federation will inspect the training of mobilized citizens.
First, the mobilized get to the formation units, where the initial training takes from 5 to 10 days. "Then, depending on the military accounting specialty, [they] already enter combat units, and there training lasts from 5 to 15 days. Then the next stage is already directly in the troops taking part in the fighting. And there is additional alignment."
As for citizens leaving Russia, it is preferable to give not emotional, but legal assessments in each case.
About the "Northern Streams"
The decision of the German authorities to fulfill their obligations under NATO to the detriment of German interests is a mistake. "And business, economy, citizens of the Federal Republic are paying for this mistake, because it has negative economic consequences for the Eurozone as a whole and for the Federal Republic in particular."
Apparently, few people consider the interests of Germany. "Otherwise, Nord Stream-1 and Nord Stream-2 would not have been undermined. Although they did not work, but it was an element of reliability that in extreme cases they could be turned on, but now there is no such possibility."
The decision to launch the remaining Nord Stream-2 line is unlikely to be made. "But this is no longer our business, this is the business of our partners. What the leaders of certain states are guided by is their business."
About negotiations with Ukraine
Russia is always open for negotiations - the agreements in Istanbul were almost initialed. "As soon as [Russian] troops withdrew from Kiev, the desire to negotiate with the Kiev authorities immediately disappeared, that's all. If they are ready for this, please, then, probably, the mediation efforts of all those who are interested in this will also be in demand."
"They [the Kiev authorities] have been saying all the time that they want negotiations and kind of asked for it, and now they have made an official decision that prohibits these negotiations. Well, what can we talk about here?".
About Russia's participation in the G20
Russia will certainly take part in the G20 summit, but in what format is still being decided. "There is no question of any direct negotiations with any of the participants of the "twenty" yet. We are in constant contact with some of them."
So far, there is no platform for negotiations with US President Joe Biden. "We need to ask him if he is ready to hold such negotiations with me or not. I don't see the need, to be honest, by and large."
About the strikes in Ukraine
Russia is acting correctly and in a timely manner in the current situation. "What is happening today is unpleasant, to put it mildly. But we would have received the same thing a little later, only in the worst conditions for us."
"We do not set ourselves the task of destroying Ukraine." If Ukraine had not cut off the water in Crimea, "the troops had to go in and open the water to Crimea." "If we had not done this action, there would have been no other counteractions."
There is no need for massive strikes on targets in Ukraine now. "Because, in my opinion, seven of the 29 objects were not hit as planned by the Ministry of Defense. But these objects are being finished off gradually, there is no need for massive strikes, at least now, and then we will see."
About a possible clash with NATO
The introduction of NATO troops into Ukraine in a direct clash with the Russian army, if the situation on the battlefield becomes catastrophic for Kiev, "this is a very dangerous step that could lead to a global catastrophe." "I hope that those who talk about this have enough intelligence to not take such dangerous steps."
