Pyongyang, June 18 (KCNA) -- The anti-imperialist independent forces are working hard to defend the sovereignty and security of their countries and build an independent multi-polar world. On the contrary, the hegemony-seeking forces insist on a uni-polar world. Their fierce confrontation is mirrored in the on-going Russia's special military operations against Ukraine, showing apparent contradiction between justice and injustice.

The persistent moves of the U.S. and the West to stamp out the existence and position of Russia as an independent and powerful state entity and a great power have become the main factor in triggering off the present Ukrainian situation.

NATO's reckless policy of "eastward advance" that constantly compresses the security sphere of Russia and the emergence of Ukrainian neo-Nazi forces going hysterical in their racket against Russia at their master's beck and call, compelled Russia to launch special military operations as a self-defensive countermeasure.

President Vladimir Putin said on several occasions that the special military operations are aimed at demilitarizing and denazifying Ukraine and getting rid of the elements posing threat to the security of his country in the Ukrainian territory.

However, the U.S. and the West kicked off a madcap proxy and mixed war to isolate and weaken Russia, describing its military operations of self-defensive and limited nature as "war of aggression" and "unjust war".

They have supplied to Ukraine huge amounts of war hardware including internationally banned WMDs, employing all means and methods such as "record-breaking" economic sanctions, espionage, plot-breeding, red herring operations and fomentation of terrorism against Russia. The degree of such a despicable all-round mixed war covering all spheres and realms goes beyond the world people's imagination.

Nevertheless, the U.S. and the West have resorted to more dangerous gamble crossing the "red line" of Russia in a bid to turn the ever-worsening tide of the war as they failed to attain their goal of inflicting a "strategic defeat" upon Russia.

Late in May, U.S. President Biden enabled Ukraine to attack the Russian mainland with U.S. weapons by easing restrictions.

It means that the U.S. gave the green light to Ukraine's attack on the major objects in the Russian mainland with U.S.-made weapons by removing such half-hearted restrictions as "for self-defense of Ukraine" and "with guarantee of not striking targets in the Russian territory" so far touted in its munitions support for the Zelenskiy-led puppets.

The U.S. prodded the U.K., France and other followers in NATO into lifting the restrictions on Ukraine's use of their weapons in attacking the Russian territory. Worse still, they openly talk about the dispatch of their support ground troops to Ukraine.

Such permission given by the U.S. and the West clearly shows the aggressive nature of the U.S. and the West's policy toward Russia.

As seen above, the worst crisis ever since the end of the Cold War, called the direct confrontation between Russia and the U.S.-led NATO and the all-out standoff between nuclear weapons states, is looming.

Crystal clear is what consequences such showdown will bring about.

The current situation shows that Russia's special military operations are not only a sacred war to defend its security and dignity against the Ukrainian neo-Nazi forces and the U.S.-led imperialist hegemonic forces but also a part of the historical course for preserving regional stability and international justice and establishing a fair and peaceful new international order.

The special military operations have developed into a sacred war of all Russian citizens and the "Second Patriotic War" for defending national sovereignty and prestige, international justice and peace under the leadership of President Vladimir Putin. Their victory has become definite.

President Putin was reelected with overwhelming majority support in the presidential election held in March this year, the third year after the operation started. It is the Russian people's high appreciation and absolute support for the state leadership.

As a result, the black-hearted design of the West to stir up division and rebellion in Russia through the protraction of dispute ended in vain and the spiritual centre for guaranteeing the victory and unity of the Russian people has been further consolidated.

The recently opened forum "Everything for Victory!" involves all citizens, from the president to people from all walks of life in Russia. From this fact one can clearly understand the social atmosphere prevailing in Russia, which is oriented totally to victory on the front.

Russia is successfully overcoming the unprecedentedly harsh sanctions by the West seeking to bring its economy to collapse at a stroke.

The Russian leadership turned on the wartime economic system and adopted a flexible economic strategy right after the launch of special military operations, thus achieving stable economic development and promoting the qualitative and quantitative growth of munitions industry despite the super-tough pressure by the U.S. and the West. This is a remarkable success.

Russia's military edge is further assured on the Ukrainian battlefield.

Since the start of special military operations, the production of tanks and vehicles has increased by five and seven times respectively, the strategic nuclear force has been updated at 95 percent and the proportion of modern weapons and equipment on the part of the anti-aircraft units has now reached more than 80 percent.

The nuclear-powered cruise missile "Burevestnik" and superheavy missile "Sarmat", etc., which were personally unveiled by President Putin last year, are just a few examples that show Russia's military superiority over the West.

Such Western weapons as the U.S. Army's main battle tank "Abrams", billed as the "strongest in the world," are reduced into "masses of scrap iron" by strikes from Russian forces. And this has become a commonplace on the Ukrainian battlefield.

Screams of bitter defeat have already been heard in the Western world witnessing this Russia's overwhelming strength.

Just as the Red Army and the Soviet people defeated fascism, singing aloud the song "The Sacred War" in the last century, the Russian army and people, their honorable descendants, will continue to glorify the tradition of victors in the present sacred war to defend the sovereign rights of the country and ensure regional and global peace and security.

The Korean people will always be on the side of the Russian government and people, extending full support and solidarity to their struggle to defend the national sovereignty and security interests, frustrate the imperialist hegemony and high-handed practices and build an independent multi-polar world.

The struggle of justice will surely lead to a victory of justice and no force can stem the current of the times oriented to independence and justice. -0-

www.kcna.kp (Juche113.6.18.)