Putin warns that the war in Ukraine has become ‘very complicated’

[ad_1]

Vladimir Putin has described the situation in Ukraine as “extremely complicated” in an apparent attempt to prepare the Russian people for a protracted war as his faltering invasion approaches 10 months away.

In a letter to security officers on Tuesday, the Russian president admitted they had encountered difficulties in four regions of Ukraine partially occupied by Russian forces, saying the work there had been “hard work”.

Putin annexed four regions of eastern and southern Ukraine in September in a bid to secure territorial gains for Russia and deter Western support for Kiev.

But the maneuver backfired spectacularly, as the Ukrainian counter-offensive, backed by supplies of advanced Western weaponry, reclaimed territory Putin had claimed as Russian. Among the Ukrainian gains is Kherson, the only regional capital Russia captured during the invasion that began in February.

The people who live there, Russian citizens, are counting on your protection. Putin said that your duty is to ensure their security, rights and freedoms.

Putin’s comments marked the second time this month that he has admitted that the war in Ukraine – which he originally thought would end in less than a week – is set to drag on for a long time.

Earlier in December, he told his Human Rights Council that the invasion could be a “long process”. However, he also celebrated the territorial gains from annexation.

Putin appears to have little intention of backing down from his extreme goals — which essentially amount to the destruction of Ukraine in its current form — even as Russia struggles to gain ground, according to former senior Kremlin officials.

Russia has repeatedly said it is open to peace talks with Kyiv, but only on the condition that all of its demands are accepted.

You are viewing a screenshot of an interactive graphic. This is most likely because you are not connected to the Internet or JavaScript is disabled in your browser.

The United States and its European allies continue to support Ukraine, which has made reclaiming its lost territories a mandatory precondition for any talks.

“I would venture to say that things could be a lot less complicated for the Russians in Ukraine if they were to get out of the hell and withdraw their forces from the country,” said John Kirby, a spokesman for the US National Security Council. Tuesday. And in short, which obviously doesn’t seem like something Putin wants to get involved in as an idea of ​​simplifying the issues in Ukraine, we’re going to continue to make sure that we can support Ukraine’s efforts to defend itself.

Putin also indicated that Russia’s domestic crackdown on dissent and increased preparations for potential threats would continue.

Russia has made “defamation of the armed forces” — essentially any unauthorized criticism of the war — illegal, while Putin has declared martial law in the four annexed regions and raised alert levels in eight other provinces on Ukraine’s border.

“Places where citizens congregate, strategic locations, transport and energy infrastructure must be under constant control,” Putin said on Tuesday.

“Counterintelligence agencies, including military counterintelligence, should be as prepared and focused as possible,” Putin added. The measures of Western intelligence services must be strictly tightened. Traitors, spies and saboteurs must be exposed in time.”

[ad_2]