President Putin: Despite The Current Tragedy, We Highly Respect People, Culture And Ukrainian Language

JAKARTA - Russia has always had great respect for the people of Ukraine, culture and language, President Vladimir Putin said in a meeting with the finalists of this year's Teachers' Contest.

He explained that the plan to develop a new region of Russia must be comprehensive and include the development of the education process.

"There will be separate plans for assistance to Donbass, Zaporizhia and Kherson, of course. I have said this in my opening speech," President Putin said, quoted from TASS October 6.

"This must be comprehensive, it must be combined not only with infrastructure development, which is clear. The same applies to sports infrastructure and medical care," he continued.

"Despite the current tragedy, we have always had great respect for Ukrainians, Ukrainian culture, Ukrainian language and literature, and so on. And we have never allowed anything that is permitted in Ukraine, in connection with Russian culture and Russian language," President Putin said.

President Putin further stressed that Russia will take its own path, treating everything in Ukraine with respect.

"We have three million Russian citizens from Ukraine. We are making no difference and will not make a difference between Russia and Ukraine, but, while continuing our own constructive ways, without hesitation, we will dismiss all that prevents us from advancing. It is imperative to regulate the education process in a way that has always been the pride of Russia and will remain so in the future," he concluded.