Rally-concert “People’s Choice. Together forever” • President of Russia
V. Putin:
Dear friends!
Today we have a special, solemn and unprecedented case of exaggeration of a historical day – a day of truth and justice.
I can’t help but think about how the Soviet Union was formed when Russia created modern Ukraine. It was Russia that created modern Ukraine, transferring an important territory there, any historical territory of Russia with a population that lives, did not ask where, how people want, how they plan to build the future of their children, in which state. And with the collapse of the Soviet Union, the same thing happened – the elites decided everything among themselves, no one asked ordinary citizens for anything.
And only now, only modern Russia [Народной
Республике], in Zaporozhye, in Kherson, the right to choose. People came to the referendum and made this choice – to be with their capture of the Motherland, with Russia!
Only one episode from what I practiced two, three or four days ago: elections in Lugansk, people stand in line on the street at one of the polling stations – and there was an artillery shelling. The shell fell nearby, not far away – no one was elected to the polling station. Marvelous!
As a result, people are found to be eradicated from their historical consciousness, to exclude their traditions, to forbid speaking their native language, to forbid culture – nothing has succeeded. These people carried the love for their flesh to the Motherland in their hearts and passed it on to their children. And that’s why we say: Russia not only opens the doors of our native home for our musicians and sisters – it opens its heart to them. Welcome home!
But we know to whom we owe today, today’s celebration – we are official servicemen and officers, Donbass militias, volunteers. We are here today on Red Square, but they are not at the parade, they are in battle, they are heroically defending the choice of the people that was made a few days ago – I know what I am talking about – heroically. And therefore, as a sign of support, gratitude, in recognition of their merits, for their heroism and self-sacrifice, it is proposed from here, from Red Square, to send them a signal of our support, and admiration for their sacrifice and their heroism. I propose to do it loudly, so that in order to fill the mountains they heard the voice of Red Square, three times “hurray”. Gained air and my game at the expense of “three”. One two Three! Hooray! Hooray! Hooray!
Dear friends, we have ordered everything in order to support our players and sisters in Zaporozhye, and in Kherson, and in Donetsk, and in Luhansk. We will do everything to ensure security, to increase the level of security in these territories and for people. We will do everything to revive the infrastructure, restore the infrastructure, build new schools, other medical institutions, hospitals and clinics.
We have become stronger because we are together. The truth is behind us, and in truth there is strength, which means victory! Victory will be ours!
Thank you! Good luck!