STORY: Putin praises military, security officers for defending constitutional order, preventing civil war
DATELINE: June 28, 2023
LENGTH: 00:01:16
LOCATION: Moscow
CATEGORY: POLITICS

SHOTLIST:
1. various of the ceremony (courtesy of Kremlin)
2. SOUNDBITE (Russian): VLADIMIR PUTIN, Russian President (courtesy of Kremlin)
3. various of the ceremony (courtesy of Kremlin)
4. various of Moscow

STORYLINE:

Russian President Vladimir Putin on Tuesday thanked the country's armed forces, security and law enforcement officers for defending Russia's constitutional order and preventing the outbreak of a civil war.

Putin said during a speech that the country's military and law enforcement officers acted as the "real defenders."

SOUNDBITE (Russian): VLADIMIR PUTIN, Russian President
"You have defended the constitutional order, the lives, security and freedom of our citizens, saved our motherland from upheaval, and actually stopped a potential civil war."

Putin noted that the country's security forces were able to ensure the reliable operation of important control centers and defense facilities throughout this tense time, including military formations that continued to fight in the area of the special military operation.

The president also paid tribute to the Russian pilots that had died "in the confrontation with the rebels."

He said the determination and courage of the country's security forces, and the unity of Russian society had ultimately played "a huge, decisive role in stabilizing the situation."

Xinhua News Agency correspondents reporting from Moscow.
(XHTV)