Russian President Vladimir Putin said today on meeting with the Minister of Defense and senior generals, that Russian forces are improving their positions in all directions in Ukraine every day and that the Russian offensive is going according to plan, reported Reuters, writes BTA.
Russia has in recent months pushed Ukrainian forces into key sectors of the front, despite hundreds of billions of dollars in military aid to Kiev from the US and its allies.
At a Kremlin meeting with new Defense Minister Andrei Belousov, Russian Security Council Secretary Sergei Shoigu and senior generals, Putin said the Russian military's actions were "continuing in accordance with the plan" approved by the General Staff.
"The more effectively you work on the front lines, the better chance we have to resolve this issue peacefully," Putin told the generals, adding: "This is what we have always aimed for and always we've talked about it".
Putin thanked Shoigu for his previous work as defense minister. The Russian president pointed out that "many things were not clear before the start of the war" and added that Shoigu will help him manage the state's security and defense system.
Turning to Belousov, Putin said he had appointed him because of rising defense and security spending, which the Russian leader said this year would reach nearly 8.7 percent of GDP or even slightly more. That's still down from 13 percent levels in the 1980s, under the Soviet Union, Reuters said.
"This is still not 13 percent, as was the case in the Soviet Union, but it is still a significant amount, a solid resource, and these funds must be used carefully and effectively," Putin said.
"This relationship between the defense and civilian spheres must be organically integrated into the overall development strategy of the Russian state," the Russian president pointed out.
Putin praised Belousov for his economic expertise and work on developing drones and other unmanned combat vehicles.
The Russian leader said that he will not make any changes in the composition of the General Staff of the Russian army. Chief of the General Staff Valery Gerasimov also participated in the meeting.
"I want everyone to be clear. This combat unit was developed, it functions rhythmically, it operates successfully, and no changes are expected in it," Putin said of the Russian General Staff.
"We must use all our administrative resources to the maximum in order to achieve the main task - the successful work of our combat formations on the contact line within the framework of the special military operation,", the Russian leader summarized.