(CNN) — Russian President Vladimir Putin said Friday, in his first comments after Kyiv’s successful counterattack against Russian forces in northeastern Ukraine, that “the main objective of the special military operation has not changed,” referring to the Russian invasion. for Ukraine.
“The main goal remains the liberation of the entire Donbass region,” Putin added, during a press conference at the conclusion of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization summit in Uzbekistan, adding that Russia was “in no hurry.”
“This work continues despite these attempts to counterattack by the Ukrainian army, our offensive operation in the Donbass itself does not stop, it continues at a slow pace, but it continues, and the Russian army is gradually occupying new territories,” the Russian president said.
“The Kyiv authorities have abandoned all agreements and declared that they will not seek any agreements with Russia, but will seek victory on the battlefield,” Putin said. “Well now they are just trying to do that by launching this counterattack, let’s see.” How will this end?”
The Russian president also attacked the West during his justification of the invasion, claiming that “for decades, the idea of the collapse of the Soviet Union and Russia was implanted in the West.”
This month has seen huge strategic losses for the Kremlin, with Ukraine carrying out counter-attacks in the northeast and south.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Wednesday that Ukraine had recovered a total of 8,000 square kilometers (about 3,088 square miles) of land.