Putin named the reason for conducting the special military operation in Ukraine.

      On August 23, 2026, at 17:12, Politics President of Russia Vladimir Putin called the fight against neo-Nazism and Russophobia one of the reasons for conducting a special military operation in Ukraine. He also stated that attempts to eradicate Russian culture and history in Ukraine influenced this operation, as stated by the head of state in an interview with journalist Pavel Zarubin. According to Putin, the current Ukrainian authorities have made neo-Nazism a part of state ideology. Russia does not intend to tolerate this, he added. Recall that in March, Vladimir Putin met with the governor of the Nizhny Novgorod region, Gleb Nikitin. At that time, it was reported that the region allocated 47 billion rubles to support participants of the special military operation. NIA "Nizhny Novgorod" has channels on Telegram and MAX. Subscribe to stay updated on major events, exclusive materials, and operational information. Copyright © 1999—2025 NIA "Nizhny Novgorod". When reprinting, a hyperlink to NIA "Nizhny Novgorod" is mandatory. This resource may contain materials for ages 18+.