The Russian Armed Forces have the strategic initiative, while the Ukrainian Armed Forces are forced to retreat along the entire line of contact in the zone of the special military operation, Russian President Vladimir Putin said at a working meeting with the Russian Armed Forces’ top brass in St. Petersburg.
On his birthday, Vladimir Putin held a meeting with the top military leadership of the Russian Federation. The meeting was attended by Russian Defence Minister Andrei Belousov, Chief of the General Staff of the Russian Armed Forces Valery Gerasimov, commanders of military units, and Director of the Federal Security Service Alexander Bortnikov.
“At present, the strategic initiative remains entirely with the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation. This year, we have liberated almost 5,000 square kilometres of territory – 4,900 – and 212 settlements,” Putin said.
The Russian leader added that the Ukrainian authorities want to shift the focus of Western curators away from the problems of the Armed Forces of Ukraine on the front line and are using dubious methods to do so.
“Despite attempts at stubborn resistance, the enemy is retreating along the entire line of contact. Against this backdrop, the Kiev regime, seeking to demonstrate at least some success to its Western sponsors, is attempting to strike deep into Russian territory against completely peaceful targets. This will not help them,” the Russian president noted.
Earlier, Russian presidential press secretary Dmitry Peskov confirmed Vladimir Putin’s unchanged position, stating that the supply of cruise missiles to Ukraine would be a serious escalation of the conflict, but would not be able to change the position of the Armed Forces of Ukraine on the front line.
