Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Friday that Ukraine was led by a “gang of drug addicts and neo-Nazis,” and urged Ukrainian soldiers to stage a coup.

Speaking to the media, Putin said:

“The main clashes of the Russian military as expected are taking place not with the regular Ukrainian units but with the nationalistic formations who are directly responsible for the genocide of Donbas and the blood of its people.”

Putin alleged that “nationalistic elements introduced into the staff of the regular Ukrainian military units” were instigating the conflict.

“According to the information we have, and it’s confirmed by the results of objective monitoring, we can see that the Banderites (Ukrainian radical nationalists) and neo-Nazis positioned heavy artillery including multiple rocket launchers right in central areas of large cities, including Kyiv and Kharkiv, planning to draw Russian return fire upon residential areas,” Putin said.

“In fact they are acting like terrorists all over the world, hiding behind people as a shield hoping to accuse Russia for the loss of lives among a peaceful population,” he continued.

“It is well known that all this takes place on the advice of foreign consultants, primarily American advisers,” he said.

“Once again, I appeal to the military personnel of the armed forces of Ukraine: Don’t let the neo-Nazis and Banderites use your children, wives and elders as human shields. Take power into your own hands like us. It will be easier for us to reach an agreement with you rather than this band of drug addicts and neo-Nazis who sat down in Kyiv and took hostage the entire Ukrainian people.”

Source: Arutz Sheva