Russian President Vladimir Putin watches a military parade on Victory Day, which marks the 77th anniversary of the victory over Nazi Germany in World War Two, in Red Square in central Moscow, Russia May 9, 2022.
Mikhail Metzel | Sputnik | Reuters
Russian President Vladimir Putin has said his hand was “forced” over Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine and claimed a “blitzkrieg” of Western economic sanctions had failed to undermine Russia’s economy.
Putin said the “stupid” sanctions, which have barred Russian banks from international payments systems and led international businesses to exit the country in droves, were “doomed from the beginning,” adding that the country remains open for business “with those who want it.”
“The economic blitzkrieg against Russia was doomed from the beginning,” Putin said Friday, according to a translation. Blitzkrieg describes a surprise attack of overwhelming force; a method widely associated with Nazi Germany in World War II.
“It is obvious that they have failed. It didn’t happen, they didn’t succeed,” he said.
Speaking at a plenary session at the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum, Putin accused the West of colonial arrogance and said that Moscow’s so-called “special military operation” — which has thrown Ukraine into all-out warfare and led to the deaths of thousands — was down to the West’s refusal to respect its obligations.
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