President of Tatarstan Minnikhanov on Western sanctions: ‘What's it have to do with ordinary people?’

Rustam Minnikhanov, the president of the Republic of Tatarstan, Russia, commented on the sanctions imposed by Western countries in response to Russia's special military operation in Ukraine. He is dissatisfied with that the disconnection of some Russian banks from SWIFT and the closure of the airspace of a number of states are affecting ordinary citizens.

“How can you disconnect ordinary people from the bank card system? You better disconnect me, disconnect the federal government. What's it have to do with ordinary people? Or close airspace. Close airspace for those who are undesirable. Everything was coming to this. And of course, everything that has happened is unfair,” Minnikhanov said.

Russian President Vladimir Putin announced the special military operation on February 24. He explained that the decision “was made because 'the situation requires decisive action from Russia”.

Commenting on the special operation, on February 24, Rustam Minnikhanov expressed confidence that “together we will cope with the new challenges that our country is facing”:

“In these conditions, it is necessary to ensure the consolidation of our entire society, to show our unity, to support the decisions taken by the country's leadership, to ensure the coordinated work of all life support systems, enterprises of the republic,” said the president of Tatarstan.

Tatarstan has already sent two trucks with humanitarian aid to refugees from the LPR and DPR to the distribution centre in Rostov Oblast. The second one departed from the Kazan warehouse on March 2. Forcibly displaced persons from Tatarstan will receive products with a long shelf life, cereals, hygiene products, household appliances, toilet paper, school supplies and clothes.

Realnoe Vremya continues to follow the events. Read the details in the special report of the online newspaper.