Matviyenko: Russia’s military operation aimed at demilitarizing Ukraine

Russia's special military operation is aimed at stopping the militarization of Ukraine, Federation Council (upper house) Speaker Valentina Matviyenko said on Friday.

"In accordance with the treaties that we signed with the Donetsk and Lugansk People's Republics on mutual assistance and cooperation, Russia announced a special military operation to enforce peace, to stop the militarization of Ukraine going on in the most active way, we were simply left with no other choice," Matviyenko said during a speech at the 7th Inter-Parliamentary Forum "Tajikistan-Russia: the potential of interregional cooperation".