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Russia will not alter its plans in Ukraine despite Kyiv’s recent counteroffensive.
The Russian president, Vladimir Putin, has said this in his first public statements on the subject this Friday in Samarkand, where the summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) is being held.
Ukrainian forces claim to have recaptured more than 8,000 square kilometers in six days in the northeastern Kharkiv region.
But Putin declared that he is not in a hurry and that the offensive in the Ukrainian region of Donbas is still underway.
same strategy
He also noted that at the moment Russia has not deployed all its forces.
“Our offensive operation in Donbas is not stopping. They are advancing, not at a very fast pace, but gradually they are taking more and more territory,” he said after a summit in Uzbekistan.
The industrial region of Donbas, in eastern Ukraine, is the focus of Russia’s invasion, which according to Putin’s speech is necessary to save Russian-speakers from an alleged genocide.
Parts of Donbas have been occupied since 2014 by Russian-backed separatists.
The Kharkiv region, where Ukraine launched its recent counterattack, is not part of Donbas.
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Izium is one of the cities in the Kharkiv region that have been recaptured by Ukrainian troops.
Delicate situation in the Russian army
In his speech this Friday, Putin also assured that only part of the Russian army is fighting in the neighboring country and threatened to a “more serious” answer if the Ukrainian attacks continue.
“I remind you that the Russian army is not fighting in its entirety… Only the professional army is fighting.”
Russia initially denied sending conscripted soldiers to Ukraine, but several officers were later disciplined after stories surfaced of young men forced to sign contracts and, in some cases, imprisoned.
Russia has so far not officially declared war on Ukraine and refers to the invasion as a “special military operation”.
But, following their recent defeats, some pro-Kremlin commentators have called for more forces to be mobilized.
A recently leaked video, which appears to reveal an attempt to recruit convicts for a private military company, suggests that Russia is having difficulties finding men ready to fight.
Putin has hardly left Russia since the beginning of the invasion in February.
His visit this week to the SCO summit in Samarkand, where he met with Chinese leader Xi Jinping, has highlighted his need to foster ties with Asian countries after being sidelined by the West.
image source, Getty Images
Xi and Putin met in Samarkand.
But even there, several leaders have expressed concern about the invasion.
“Today is not the time for warIndian Prime Minister Narendra Modi told Putin.
And the day before, the Russian leader himself hinted that Xi Jinping also disapproved.
“We understand your questions and concerns,” Putin told the Chinese president, referring to the war.
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