Russian President Vladimir Putin vowed on Monday to achieve all his “goals” in Ukraine and marked the second anniversary of his seizure of four Ukrainian regions, as his forces claimed new advances in the conflict.
Moscow has captured dozens of Ukrainian towns and villages this year, while Kiev has been waging a cross-border offensive into Russian territory.
“The truth is on our side. All the goals set will be achieved,” Putin said in a video address marking what he called “reunification day” – when Moscow annexes four southern and eastern Ukrainian regions in 2022. Had captured.
He also reiterated his justification for sending troops to Ukraine, saying he was protecting Russian speakers against a “neo-Nazi dictatorship” that aimed to “cut them off forever from their historic homeland, Russia.”
“Together we are securing a secure, prosperous future for our children and grandchildren,” Putin said.
Russia claimed to capture the Ukrainian regions of Lugansk, Donetsk, Zaporizhia and Kherson in September 2022, but it does not fully control any of them.
The Kremlin has launched a series of offensives in eastern Ukraine in recent months, increasing its advantage as Ukrainian troops struggle with exhaustion and constant bombardment.
The Russian military said on Monday its troops had “liberated” the Ukrainian village of Nelypivka, which had a population of about 1,000 before the conflict.
The Ukrainian city is located just north of New York, where Kiev claimed a rare gain in early September.
The main target of Moscow’s attacks in recent months has been the Ukrainian logistics hub of Pokrovsk, a city located on road and rail routes that supply Kiev’s forces to the front line.
– ‘One-on-one conversation’ –
Putin’s comments came shortly after Russia launched a fresh wave of missile and drone attacks on Ukraine overnight, some of which were aimed at the capital Kiev.
Ruslan Kravchenko, head of the Kiev regional military administration, said, “The enemy launched another major attack with drones on the Kiev region at night. Air defense forces acted effectively in the area.”
He said debris from some of the barrages dropped caused a fire but there were no casualties or impact on critical infrastructure.
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiga was in Budapest on Monday to meet with his Hungarian counterpart Peter Szijjarto.
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban is the only EU leader who has maintained close ties with the Kremlin since the conflict began in 2022 and has refused military support for Kiev.
“The face-to-face talks between Andriy Sibiga and Peter Szijjarto lasted about an hour, which is twice as long as planned,” the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry said, without elaborating.
Hungary has previously blocked substantial funds to Ukraine, a source of frustration for Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and his EU allies.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
