Russian President Putin stated on the 7th in St. Petersburg, during a meeting with the Russian Ministry of Defense, the General Staff, and commanders of forces involved in the special military operation, that all goals of the special military operation against Ukraine must be unconditionally achieved.
Putin said that currently, the strategic initiative is completely in the hands of the Russian armed forces. Since the beginning of this year, the Russian military has controlled nearly 5,000 square kilometers of territory and 212 settlements.
He pointed out that the Russian defense industry plays a crucial role in ensuring the successful operations of the Russian military. Defense enterprises are delivering various types of high-precision weapons, missiles, ammunition, and military equipment to the armed forces as planned, while the research, development, and deployment of the latest cutting-edge weapons are also being accelerated.
Putin stated that Ukrainian forces are continuously retreating along the entire line of contact. Against this backdrop, in order to show results to its Western 'sponsors,' the Ukrainian side is striking purely civilian facilities deep within Russian territory. Russia's task is to ensure the safety of Russian citizens, strategic facilities, and civilian infrastructure, including energy infrastructure.
He emphasized that the overall mission of the Russian military remains unchanged: all objectives set for the special military operation must be unconditionally achieved.