The information that Russia was targeting Kiev neo-Nazis who were launching murderous attacks against the Russian-speaking populations is confirmed, as it already seems to have compiled a list containing the names of 5,000 Ukrainians accused of crimes against humanity.

This is specifically a news item that is circulating on social media and is fully in line with the official Russian announcements. More specifically, by clearly stating that Moscow knows all the Nazis who participated in the “Odessa massacre“, where civilians were burned alive or tortured, will identify them and bring them to justice.

This list is supposed to include the names of those Ukrainian Nazis who were at the forefront of both “Operation Overthrow of the Legally Elected Government in 2014“, the Odessa massacre and the bombing of civilians in Donbass.

The psychological dimension of this particular leak, however, is clear. The Ukrainian soldiers who will be arrested may well be treated not as prisoners of war, but as brutal criminals with all that implies. The morale of the Ukrainian army is probably the first target.

Kremlin: The aim of the military operation is to clear Ukraine of the Nazis

Clearing Ukraine of the Nazis and neutralising Kiev‘s military potential is the aim of the special operation launched by Russia in the early hours of Thursday morning (24/02), according to Kremlin spokesman Sergei Peskov.

“Ideally, it is necessary to liberate Ukraine, to cleanse it from the Nazis, as well as from the pro-Nazis and their ideology,” Peskov said, when asked how to interpret the term “denazification” mentioned by Putin in his speech.

At the same time, as Dmitry Peskov noted, Moscow aims to demilitarize Ukraine, as it poses a threat to the Russian people.

As for the duration of the special operation, it will depend on its effectiveness and will be determined by Vladimir Putin himself.

Referring to the possibility of regime change in Ukraine, Peskov made it clear that this is a choice of the Ukrainian people.

After stressing that the “occupation” as they describe Russia‘s military operation is wrong, he made it clear that the Kremlin does not rule out the possibility of negotiations between Putin and Zelensky if Ukraine is ready to discuss Moscow‘s security concerns.

In conclusion, Peskov stressed that Moscow will react to Western sanctions.