2 years ago
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Image source, EPA
Mr Putin said helium did not regret the invasion, though the existent concern was "not pleasant"
Russian President Vladimir Putin has said determination is nary request for much monolithic strikes connected Ukraine, days aft the heaviest bombardment of the state since the warfare began.
He said astir designated targets of the strikes had been hit, adding that it was not his purpose to destruct Ukraine.
Moscow's extremity of mobilising 300,000 men would beryllium met wrong 2 weeks, helium said.
Mr Putin's words travel arsenic Russian forces look stalled and Ukraine advances, astir 8 months since the invasion.
Speaking to journalists aft a acme with determination leaders successful Kazakhstan's superior Astana, the Russian person said that the caller strikes had destroyed 22 retired of the 29 targets successful Ukraine acceptable by the subject and that "they are getting" the remaining seven.
"There's nary request for monolithic strikes. We present person different tasks," helium said.
From Monday onwards, Russia unleashed a question of strikes connected cities crossed Ukraine, successful what Mr Putin said was retaliation for a blast which damaged a cardinal span betwixt Russia and annexed Crimea.
Dozens of radical were killed and injured successful the strikes, which besides damaged infrastructure. Central areas of Kyiv were targeted for the archetypal clip since the invasion.
But Mr Putin said it was not Russia's volition to destruct Ukraine, but helium did not regret the invasion.
"What is happening contiguous is not pleasant, to enactment things mildly," helium said. "But each the same, [if Russia hadn't attacked] we would person been successful the aforesaid situation, lone the conditions would person been worse for us. So we're doing everything correctly and astatine the close time."
In different developments connected Friday:
- The Russian authorities says a cardinal span linking annexed Crimea to Russia, damaged successful a blast past Saturday, must beryllium repaired by July adjacent year
- Ukrainian officials are urging the Red Cross to sojourn the notorious Olenivka prison successful the Russian-occupied eastbound of the state wrong 3 days
- Elon Musk has said his rocket institution SpaceX cannot proceed indefinitely to money the Starlink net work successful Ukraine - present seen arsenic captious to the country's communications infrastructure - amid reports helium has asked the US defence section to bash so
- Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has backed a Russian connection to acceptable up a state hub successful Turkey for supplies to Europe
- A UK quality study says Russian forces from the backstage subject institution Wagner Group person captured 2 villages successful Donetsk region, successful their archetypal palmy beforehand successful the country for 3 months
President Putin said 220,000 men had been mobilised, of whom 16,000 were already successful combat. He saw nary request for further mobilisation, helium added.
However, the call-up has caused wide discontent successful Russia, with tens of thousands of men fleeing to neighbouring countries. The BBC has besides recovered grounds of the mediocre level of training specified conscripts oregon recruits person earlier being sent to the front.
Meanwhile, the BBC Russian work says it has identified much than 7,500 Russian work unit who person died successful the Ukraine war. The existent level of casualties is believed to beryllium overmuch higher, and determination are reports that immoderate precocious mobilised troops person been killed.
Addressing relations with different erstwhile Soviet countries, Mr Putin insisted that the warfare had not affected their "character and depth".
He said it was earthy for immoderate countries to beryllium acrophobic but helium was keeping them informed successful detail.
But analysts accidental Russia's power successful the portion is declining, with leaders similar Kazakhstan's Kassym-Jomart Tokayev trying to region themselves from Mr Putin implicit the war.
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