In a New Year's video message broadcast on Russian state TV Russian President Vladimir Putin attacked the west.
"For years, Western elites hypocritically assured us of their peaceful intentions," Putin said. "In fact, in every possible way they were encouraging neo-Nazis who conducted open terrorism against civilians in the Donbas."
"The West lied about peace," he added. "It was preparing for aggression, and now they are cynically using Ukraine and its people to weaken and split Russia."
"We have never allowed this, and will never allow anybody to do this to us" he declared.