What did Putin say to a stadium full of people about the Ukrainian invasion?

Russian President Vladimir Putin spoke before a packed stadium in Moscow on Friday, lauding the country’s “special military operation” and saying Russia will rid Ukraine of Nazis.

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“We know what we need to do, how to do it and at what cost. And we will absolutely accomplish all of our plans,” Putin told a rally at Moscow’s Luzhniki Stadium.

Putin went on to say that the operation in Ukraine was necessary because the United States was using the country to threaten Russia and had to defend against the “genocide” of Russian-speaking people by Ukraine, Reuters reported.

“Shoulder to shoulder, they help each other, support each other and when needed they shield each other from bullets with their bodies like brothers. Such unity we have not had for a long time,” he said about the armed forces in Ukraine.

As he was speaking, state television briefly cut away from his speech. Pre-recorded footage of patriotic songs was played before Putin’s speech was back on the air.

RIA news agency cited Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov as saying a technical fault on a server was the reason state television had suddenly cut away from Putin, Reuters reported. His entire speech was replayed.

“Shelling and attacks were carried out against the Donbas. This is genocide. Stopping this genocide is the main goal of the special operation,” the Russian president said, repeating claims that have been debunked around the world.

Russian rap music played in the arena and the stage where Putin spoke was decorated with signs reading “For a world without Nazism” and “For our president”, using the “Z” markings used in the military operation in Ukraine.

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