Ukrainian nationalists using terrorist tactics by placing heavy weapons in residential quarters - Putin

MOSCOW. Feb 25 (Interfax) - Ukrainian nationalists are putting heavy weapons in the residential areas of cities to provoke Russian troops to strike residential quarters, Russian President Vladimir Putin said.

"According to the available information, and it is confirmed by objective control results, we see it, Banderites and neo-Nazi are putting heavy weapons, including multiple rocket launchers, directly in the central areas of large cities, including Kyiv and Kharkiv," the president said at a meeting with permanent members of the Russian Security Council on Friday.

"They plan to cause Russian attacks systems to return the fire by firing on residential quarters. Essentially, they act in the same way as terrorists everywhere in the world: they use people as a shield, hoping to later blame Russia for civilian casualties," Putin said.

"It is known for a fact that all these things are happening at the recommendation of foreign consultants, primarily U.S. advisers," the president said.