Ukraine war a life-and-death issue for Russia: Putin

Moscow. The President of Ukraine, Vladimir Putin, has said that the events on the battlefield in Ukraine are a matter of life and death for Russia. The Kremlin has repeatedly presented the nearly two-year-long conflict as a battle for Russia’s existence in order to instill a sense of patriotism in its population.
“I think it is still important for ourselves and even more so for our listeners and viewers abroad to understand our way of thinking,” Putin said in an interview with Russian state TV. “What is happening on the Ukrainian front: for them it is an improvement of their strategic position. It is a matter of life and death for Russia and it is also a matter of fate,” he said.
Putin said this in response to a question about the two-hour long interview he gave to the American “talk show” presenter Tucker Carlson. In that interview, Putin had a long conversation about Russian history and constantly raised questions about the state of Ukraine. “It was not easy for Western and American listeners and viewers. “Putin said in the Carlson interview when asked about Putin’s long, historical views. He said, “The history of the United States is about 300 years, and I’m talking about before that. So I think it’s not easy for the American audience to understand.”