On Thursday, Russian leader Vladimir Putin stated that there will be calm in Ukraine once his nation attains its objectives, and that those objectives have not changed.

Just two months before the two-year mark of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, Putin stated again that Russia wants Ukraine to become “de-Nazi-fied,” demilitarized, and have a neutral status. He made this statement during a four-hour news conference at the end of the year.

According to Russia, the Ukrainian government is strongly influenced by extremist nationalist and neo-Nazi organizations. However, Ukraine and its Western allies have rejected this claim as a groundless excuse for the invasion.

Putin stated that peace will be achieved once our goals are met, echoing a common belief in the Kremlin. He also expressed confidence in achieving victory.

The leader of Russia highlighted recent progress made by Russia in relation to its neighboring country.

“Our military forces are constantly enhancing their positions along the line of contact, actively engaging in operations,” he stated.

Putin stated that the opposing side has initiated a significant counterattack, yet President Zelenskyy of Ukraine has not made any progress. He argued that the recent Ukrainian effort to establish a foothold on the eastern side of the Dnieper River was unsuccessful and resulted in severe casualties for their troops.

According to Putin, Kyiv is deliberately putting its soldiers at risk in order to impress its Western supporters and gain more military aid. However, efforts to provide additional aid to Ukraine from the U.S. are currently facing delays in Congress due to certain Republican politicians insisting on tying its approval to stricter immigration measures along the U.S.-Mexico border.

According to Putin, Ukraine’s battlefield strategy is foolish and irresponsible, but it is ultimately their responsibility as a political leadership.

The leader of Russia declined the necessity to summon additional reserve soldiers to participate in the conflict in Ukraine, an action that was met with strong disapproval during the initial draft. He stated that there are approximately 617,000 Russian soldiers stationed there, including approximately 244,000 who were mobilized to aid professional military forces.

Putin’s requirement for the war involves Ukraine abstaining from joining NATO, the Western military alliance. NATO has stated that the decision to join is ultimately up to each country, not Russia. The invasion by Russia led to Sweden and Finland submitting requests for membership. Finland was accepted in April, while Sweden’s approval is pending from Turkey and Hungary.

On Thursday, while addressing reporters in Brussels, NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg stated that Russian President Putin has not displayed any indications of readiness for peace.

Stoltenberg stated that the key to achieving a fair and enduring peace in Ukraine is by persuading Putin that he will not emerge victorious through military means, and for fellow nations to sustain their assistance to Ukraine.

Stoltenberg warned that if Putin emerges victorious in Ukraine, there is a significant possibility that his aggressive actions will not be limited to that region.

The head of NATO expressed appreciation for what he described as President Joe Biden’s strong dedication to Ukraine and his administration’s swift efforts to offer essential assistance to the country.

So far, the proposed security package from Biden has been met with opposition from Republicans in Congress. The package includes $61 billion in aid for Ukraine.

This week, Zelenskyy visited Washington to personally appeal to the President and legislators that the aid is crucial for Ukraine’s efforts in the war.

The military of Ukraine announced on Thursday that Russia carried out a nighttime assault using drones and missiles, while Russia claimed that Ukrainian airstrikes targeted the Moscow region.

The Ukrainian air force reported that they successfully downed 41 out of 42 drones launched by Russian forces, with the majority of them flying over the southern region of Odesa.

According to a message posted on Telegram by Odesa’s regional governor, Oleh Kiper, several structures, including a dormitory, were damaged by falling debris. He also reported that 11 individuals were injured.

According to Kiper, the Russian military also targeted the port facilities in the Izmail region, situated on the Danube River, and caused damage to multiple warehouses.

The defense ministry of Russia reported that its air defenses successfully shot down nine Ukrainian drones in the Moscow and Kaluga regions during the night.

The Mayor of Moscow, Sergei Sobyanin, stated that two drones were shot down near the town of Naro-Fominsk, located southwest of the Russian capital. Sobyanin noted that there were no reports of any damage or injuries.

Information for this report was sourced from Agence France-Presse and Reuters.

Source: voanews.com