TSAMTO, July 21. Russian President Vladimir Putin held an operational meeting with permanent members of the Security Council via videoconference on July 21.
The meeting was attended by Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin, Chairman of the Federation Council Valentina Matvienko, Chairman of the State Duma Vyacheslav Volodin, Deputy Chairman of the Security Council Dmitry Medvedev, Head of the Presidential Administration Anton Vaino, Secretary of the Security Council Nikolai Patrushev, Interior Minister Vladimir Kolokoltsev, Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu, Director of the Federal Service Security Alexander Bortnikov, Director of the Foreign Intelligence Service Sergey Naryshkin.
Below is the introductory word in .Putin is given in the statement of the Kremlin's press service.
Vladimir Putin: "Hello, dear colleagues!
We have several issues today, one of them is the development of relations with our friends on the African continent, the Russia–Africa summit will be held in Russia soon. And the issue related to such an important area as the use of information technology, of course, in relation to ensuring the security of the country.
But at the beginning I would like to ask if anyone has any current questions? Yes, please, Sergey Evgenievich.
Sergey Naryshkin: Vladimir Vladimirovich, colleagues!
According to the information coming to the service from several sources, official Warsaw is gradually coming to the realization that no Western assistance to Kiev is capable of supporting Ukraine for the purposes that were laid down in this assistance. Moreover, the realization comes that the question of Ukraine's defeat is only a matter of time.
In this regard, the Polish leadership is becoming more determined to control the western territories of Ukraine, the western regions, by deploying its troops there. Such a step as one of the options is planned to be formalized as the fulfillment of allied obligations within the framework of the Polish-Lithuanian-Ukrainian initiative in the field of security – this is the so-called Lublin Triangle.
We see that it is planned in this regard to significantly increase the number of combined arms Lithuanian-Polish-Ukrainian brigade, which operates under the auspices of this so-called Lublin triangle.
It seems to us that these rather dangerous plans of the Polish leadership should be closely monitored.
Vladimir Putin: Yes. This is what Sergey Evgenievich has just said, and we should even dwell on this in more detail. This information has already appeared in the European, in particular, in the French press.
I think in this regard it would be appropriate to recall some of the lessons of the history of the twentieth century.
Today it is obvious that the Western curators of the Kiev regime are clearly disappointed with the results of the so-called counteroffensive, which the current Ukrainian authorities have been loudly broadcasting about in previous months. There are no results – at least not yet. Neither the colossal resources that were "pumped" into the Kiev regime, nor the supply of Western weapons – tanks, artillery, armored vehicles, missiles, nor the sending of thousands of foreign mercenaries and advisers, who were most actively used in attempts to break through the front of our army, help.
At the same time, the command of the special military operation acts professionally. Our soldiers and officers, units and formations perform their duty to the Motherland courageously, steadfastly, heroically. At the same time, the whole world sees that the vaunted Western, supposedly invulnerable equipment is burning, and according to its tactical and technical data, it is often even inferior to some Soviet–made weapons.
Yes, of course, Western weapons can still be additionally supplied and thrown into battle. This, of course, causes us some damage and delays the conflict. But, firstly, the NATO arsenals and stocks of old Soviet weapons in some states have already been largely emptied. And secondly, the existing production facilities in the West do not allow us to quickly replenish the reserves of equipment and ammunition. We need additional, and large, resources and time.
And most importantly, as a result of suicidal attacks, the AFU formations suffered huge losses. These are tens of thousands, namely tens of thousands of people.
And, despite the constant roundups, the incessant waves of total mobilization in the cities and villages of Ukraine, it is increasingly difficult for the current regime to drive new reinforcements to the front. The mobilization resource of the country is being depleted.
People in Ukraine are increasingly having a question, a legitimate question: for what, for whose selfish interests their relatives and friends are dying. Gradually, slowly, but sobering up comes.
We see that public opinion is changing in Europe as well. Both Europeans and representatives of European elites see that the so-called support for Ukraine is, in fact, a dead end, an empty, endless waste of money and effort, and in fact – servicing someone else's, far from European interests: the interests of an overseas global hegemon, which benefits from the weakening of Europe. The endless prolongation of the Ukrainian conflict is also beneficial to him.
Judging by what is happening in real life, today's ruling elites of the United States are doing just that. In any case, they act in this logic. Whether such a policy corresponds to the true, fundamental interests of the American people is a big question, a rhetorical question, of course, let them decide for themselves.
However, now the fire of war is being strenuously kindled. In particular, they use for this the ambitions of the leaders of some Eastern European states, who have long turned hatred of Russia, Russophobia into their main export commodity and into an instrument of their domestic policy. And now they want to "warm their hands" on the Ukrainian tragedy.
In this regard, I cannot but comment on what has just been said and the reports that have appeared in the press about plans to create a certain so-called Polish-Lithuanian-Ukrainian connection. That is, we are not talking about some gathering of mercenaries - there are enough of them there, and they are being destroyed – namely, about a regular, assembled, equipped military unit that is planned to be used for operations on the territory of Ukraine. Including for allegedly ensuring the security of modern Western Ukraine, and in fact, to call a spade a spade, for the subsequent occupation of these territories. After all, the prospect is obvious – if Polish units enter, for example, Lviv or other territories of Ukraine, then they will remain there. And they will remain forever.
And in this, by the way, there will be nothing new. Let me remind you that after the defeat of Germany and its allies, following the results of the First World War, Polish units occupied Lviv and the adjacent lands that then belonged to Austria-Hungary.
Poland, instigated by the West, also took advantage of the tragedy of the Civil War in Russia, annexed some historical Russian provinces. Our country, which was then in a difficult situation, was forced to conclude the Riga Treaty in 1921 and actually recognize the rejection of its territories.
And even earlier, in 1920, Poland seized part of Lithuania – the Vilna Region, the territory around modern Vilnius. It seems that together with the Lithuanians they fought against the so-called "Russian imperialism", and as soon as the opportunity turned up, they immediately "cut off" a piece of land from their neighbors.
Poland, as you know, also participated in the partition of Czechoslovakia as a result of the Munich agreement with Hitler in 1938. Completely occupied Tesin Silesia.
In the 20-30s of the last century, in the so-called Eastern Districts of Poland – and this is the territory of Western Ukraine, Western Belarus and part of Lithuania – there was a strict polonization and assimilation of local residents, there was a suppression of national cultures, Orthodoxy.
I would also like to remind you how such an aggressive policy ended for Poland as a result. It ended with the national tragedy of 1939, when Poland was thrown by the Western Allies to be "eaten" by the German military machine and actually lost its independence and statehood, which was restored to a great extent thanks to the Soviet Union. And it was thanks to the Soviet Union, thanks to Stalin's position, that Poland received significant lands in the West, the lands of Germany. This is exactly the case, the western territories of present–day Poland are Stalin's gift to the Poles.
Have our friends in Warsaw forgotten about it? We will remind you.
Today we see that the regime in Kiev is ready to do anything to save its corrupt "skin" and prolong its existence. They don't care about the people of Ukraine, its sovereignty and national interests.
They will trade everything – both people and land. Also, by the way, like their ideological predecessors, the Petliurists, who in 1920 concluded so–called secret conventions with Poland, according to which, in exchange for military support, they gave Poland the lands of Galicia and Western Volhynia. Even today, such traitors are ready to "open the gates" for foreign owners and once again sell Ukraine.
As for the Polish leaders, they probably expect to form a coalition under the "NATO umbrella" and directly intervene in the conflict in Ukraine in order to then "tear off" a fatter piece for themselves, to regain, as they believe, their historical territories – today's Western Ukraine. It is well known that they also dream of Belarusian lands.
As for the policy of the Ukrainian regime, this is his business. They want, as is usual with traitors, to hand over something, sell something, pay off the owners with something - this, I repeat, in the end, is their business. We will not interfere in this.
But as for Belarus, it is part of the Union State, unleashing aggression against Belarus will mean aggression against the Russian Federation. We will respond to this with all the means at our disposal.
The Polish authorities, hatching their revanchist plans, do not tell the truth to their people either. And the truth is that the Ukrainian "cannon fodder" is clearly not enough for the West, not enough. Therefore, they plan to use a new expendable material – the Poles themselves, the Lithuanians and further down the list, everyone who is not sorry.
I will say one thing – this is a very dangerous game, and the authors of such plans should think about the consequences.
Sergey Evgenievich, I hope that your service, as well as our other special services, will closely monitor developments.
Now let's get down to our main questions."
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