Russian ambassador to China defends Ukraine invasion

The ambassador's reasoning was closely followed by one of Russia's own justifications of its invasion of Ukraine, which has resulted in thousands of deaths and the devastation of entire cities, as well as driving more than a quarter of the population to flee their homes.

Russian President Vladimir Putin travelled to Beijing in February to meet President Xi Jinping as Russian tanks were massing on the Ukrainian border, agreeing that the two countries hailed it as a no limits partnership superior to any Cold War alliance.

Russia calls the invasion a military operation and says it was necessary not only to maintain its own security but also to protect Russian speakers from persecution.

Ukraine and the West say these are baseless pretexts for an imperial war of aggression against a neighbour that gained independence when the Soviet Union broke up in 1991.