The Interpreter quoted what Putin said during a live call-in session on 12 October 2016: "When we were forced, I want to stress, forced to defend the Russian-speaking population in the Donbas, forced to respond to the desire of the people living in Crimea to return to being part of the Russian Federation, they instantly began to whip up anti-Russian policies and the imposition of sanctions." "Putin Claims Russia Was 'Forced To Defend Russian-Speaking Population In Donbas'", The Interpreter, 12 October 2016, archived from the original on 23 February 2022, retrieved 8 January 2018
The Interpreter quoted what Putin said during a live call-in session on 12 October 2016: "When we were forced, I want to stress, forced to defend the Russian-speaking population in the Donbas, forced to respond to the desire of the people living in Crimea to return to being part of the Russian Federation, they instantly began to whip up anti-Russian policies and the imposition of sanctions." "Putin Claims Russia Was 'Forced To Defend Russian-Speaking Population In Donbas'", The Interpreter, 12 October 2016, archived from the original on 23 February 2022, retrieved 8 January 2018