Putin Says Russia Is Winning the War

Vladimir Putin says Russia’s campaign in Ukraine is gathering speed, and he has no doubt that the opposing side will eventually collapse. Speaking at a news conference after a summit in Bishkek, the Kyrgyz capital, the Russian president portrayed his army as advancing faster and faster.

“I have no doubt that the enemy will collapse,” Putin said, according to Reuters. He did not say when he expected that to happen. At the same time, he acknowledged that Ukrainian drone attacks had caused damage in Russia.

Putin claimed that Russian forces took control of 270 square kilometers and 15 settlements in Ukraine’s eastern Donetsk region during August. He also said two large groups of Ukrainian soldiers had been surrounded. One group, he said, included between 4,500 and 4,800 troops, while the other numbered up to 2,000.

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I have no doubt that the enemy will collapse.

According to Putin, Russian troops are continuing their advance toward Sloviansk and Kramatorsk. He also said Russia was preparing large-scale attacks on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure. Despite the prospect of further fighting, he dismissed rumors of a new mobilization in Russia as “complete nonsense.”

Putin said Russia did not want merely to freeze the conflict. “We are ready to negotiate with anyone who wants to work toward this. But the negotiations must lead to something tangible and not just go round in circles pointlessly,” he said. He added that Moscow wanted to end the war and create lasting peace in Ukraine and Europe. U.S.-led peace talks broke down in February after the United States and Israel began a war with Iran.

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We are ready to negotiate with anyone who wants to work toward this. But the negotiations must lead to something tangible and not just go round in circles pointlessly.