MOSCOW 

Russian President Vladimir Putin on Friday called on the Ukrainian military to take power in its country.

"Take power into your own hands. It seems that it will be easier for us to agree with you than this gang of junkies and neo-Nazis who have … taken the entire Ukrainian people hostage," Putin said, referring to the Ukrainian government.

He was speaking at a meeting of the Russian Security Council in the capital Moscow.

He claimed that the major confrontation in Ukraine is happening with "nationalist formations, which are directly responsible for the genocide in the Donbas and the bloodshed of peaceful civilians in the two republics."

Putin accused the Ukrainian government of “cowering behind civilians.”

"Once again, I appeal to the servicemen of the armed forces of Ukraine. Don't let the neo-Nazis … use your children, your wives, and the elderly as human shields," he said.

Russia’s military intervention in Ukraine entered its second day on Friday, with the latest reports indicating that Russian troops were heading toward the capital Kyiv from several directions.

Putin had ordered the military intervention on Thursday, just days after recognizing two separatist-held enclaves in eastern Ukraine.

He claimed that Moscow had no plan to occupy the neighboring country, but wanted to “demilitarize” and “denazify” Ukraine.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy accused Russia of trying to install a puppet government and said Ukrainians will defend their country against Russian aggression.

Tensions started escalating late last year when Ukraine, the US and its allies accused Russia of amassing nearly 150,000 troops on the border with Ukraine.

They claimed Russia was preparing to invade its western neighbor, allegations consistently rejected by Moscow.