Putin: Russia's military and law enforcement officers 'actually stopped the civil war'

During the attempted armed mutiny, Russia's military personnel and law enforcement officers made efforts to protect the safety of people and actually saved the country from the civil war, Russian President Vladimir Putin said.

On Tuesday, servicemen and fighters who distinguished themselves in the course of recent events are taking part in a solemn ceremony in the Kremlin.

"You have defended the constitutional order, the life, security and freedom of our citizens, saved our Fatherland from upheavals, and in fact stopped the civil war," the Russian president said.