Putin says Russia is prevailing in ‘righteous battle’ in Ukraine
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Russian President Vladimir Putin said they are defending their love for the motherland and the unity of their historical destiny.
PHOTO: REUTERS
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MOSCOW - Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Sept 29 that Russian forces are prevailing in what he said was a “righteous battle” in Ukraine.
“Our fighters and commanders go on the attack, and the entire country, all of Russia, is waging this righteous battle and working hard,” he said in a video published on the Kremlin’s website.
“Together we are defending our love for the motherland and the unity of our historical destiny, we are fighting, and we are prevailing.”
Russia launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine on Feb 24, 2022, calling it a “special military operation” to demilitarise and denazify its neighbour. Kyiv and its allies say the invasion is an unprovoked imperialistic attempt to grab land.
The war has no end in sight despite US President Donald Trump’s diplomatic efforts to bring the conflict to an end, which included separate summits with Mr Putin, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and other European leaders.
Russia controls nearly 114,500 sq km, or 19 per cent, of Ukraine, including Crimea, and a major chunk of territory in the east and south-east of the country, according to open source maps of the battlefield.
Mr Trump, reversing his earlier stance, said last week that Ukraine still has a chance at regaining territory and Washington said it was considering Kyiv’s request to obtain Tomahawk cruise missiles for strikes deep into Russia. REUTERS
