[Putin explains why the special military operation did not start earlier.]
In the documentary "Russia, the Kremlin, Putin: 25 Years," Putin answered a question posed by co-producer Pavel Zarubin about why the special military operation did not begin 11 years ago.
Putin stated that Russia was not prepared in 2014 to confront the entire Western collective, "because that's just how things were at the time." The Russian authorities "could not take any decisive actions without carrying out corresponding work in the fields of security, strengthening armed forces, and the economy and finance."
Putin pointed out, "We were not deliberately preparing for the special military operation; we sincerely tried to resolve the Donbas issue through peaceful means. However, it turned out that the other side did not think or act accordingly."
Regarding Ukraine's violations of the Minsk agreements, Putin remarked, "We hoped we could trust the other side."
Putin believed that it was almost impossible to start a military operation in 2014 because the country was not ready for such a direct confrontation with the entire Western collective. Now, the other side has acknowledged this confrontation and even discussed it openly.
Original article: https://www.toutiao.com/article/1831250206450816/
Disclaimer: This article solely represents the author's personal views.