Putin Says Over 300 Ukrainian Settlements Seized This Year
Addressing military leadership at the Defense Ministry headquarters in Moscow, Putin claimed Russian forces have captured and "firmly" control the strategic initiative across the entire front line.
"The Russian Armed Forces have liberated over 300 settlements this year," he said.
Putin asserted that despite massive Western military assistance—including advanced weapons shipments and combat training for Ukrainian troops—Russian forces continue pushing forward, "grinding down the opponent, including its elite units trained in Western military centers."
Russia possesses the capacity to accelerate offensive operations in strategically critical sectors, the Russian leader emphasized.
Putin outlined sweeping military expansion efforts currently underway. The navy received reinforcements this year with newly commissioned submarines alongside 19 surface vessels, he reported.
Fresh weapons systems entered active service following successful trials of the nuclear-powered Oreshnik, Burevestnik, and Poseidon platforms, he added.
"The 'Oreshnik' system will be put on combat duty by the end of the year," Putin said, referencing the intermediate range ballistic missile Russia deployed against Ukraine in November 2024.
Putin announced plans to widen the security buffer zone in retaliation for Ukrainian artillery strikes.
The Russian president dismissed Western warnings about potential Russian aggression toward Europe as "a lie and nonsense," adding: "Politicians in Europe are raising hysteria and put fears into people's heads about an inevitable clash with Russia."
Russia's strategic nuclear arsenal exists solely for deterring aggressors and preserving global power equilibrium, Putin stated.
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