Destruction of Ukraine's military infrastructure practically completed - Putin

MOSCOW. March 5 (Interfax) - The Russian Defense Ministry took the path of destroying Ukraine's military infrastructure, and this part of the operation has practically been completed, Russian President Vladimir Putin said.

"The first thing that was done [by the Russian General Staff and the Russian Defense Ministry] was to destroy the military infrastructure. Not all of it, but partially. Warehouses with weapons, munitions, aviation, air defense systems. Air defense systems, their neutralization takes some time, they need to be opened and then hit. Practically all this work has been completed," he said at a meeting with women from the cabin crews of Russian airlines on Saturday.

"Hence the demand to close the sky. The fulfilment of this demand is associated with colossal and disastrous consequences not only for Europe, but also for the whole world. I think those who are saying something on the other side understand that. Therefore, they took this path, and it turned out to be absolutely right," Putin said.

There was a different option: to help the Donbas republics on the contact line and reinforce them with the Russian army forces, he said.

"In this case, support in the form of material resources, equipment, etc. would be coming from that side endlessly, I mean unconditional support of nationalists from the West, nationalists and radicals. Therefore, our General Staff and Defense Ministry took the other path," the Russian president said.