For the first time, Russian President Vladimir Putin admitted that Russia was not sufficiently prepared for its full-scale invasion of Ukraine, writes focus.de, summarizing what he said at his traditional annual press conference.
In February 2022, Russia launched a “special military operation“ against Ukraine, which was supposed to last three days, but in a few weeks it will be 3 years since the full-scale attack.
Putin admits to serious mistakes in planning the invasion of Ukraine. However, he praised the Russian soldiers for their progress and their "heroism."
The Russian president believes that Russia should have prepared better for war and launched its attack on Ukraine earlier. According to the BBC, he said that there was a lack of "systematic preparation." Despite these mistakes, Putin praised the Russian troops as "heroes" who are advancing every day. Putin also seemed open to "compromises" to end the war, but without giving details.
During the press conference, the Russian president stressed the importance of "Russian sovereignty" and stressed that Russia is now less dependent on international partners. He cited Western sanctions as the reason for this.
Putin also commented on Russia's new nuclear doctrine, which has been in effect since November and allows the country to respond to conventional threats with nuclear weapons. When asked whether the West has understood the message, Putin replied that we should ask the countries themselves.
In addition to the war in Ukraine, Putin also spoke about economic and regional issues. He stressed that the overthrow of Bashar al-Assad is not a defeat for Russia in Syria. Putin also considers the Russian economy to be stable, although he admits that inflation of 9.1 percent is “alarming“.
The Times newspaper draws attention to Putin's words that Russia is ready for a high-tech missile duel with the West to test the capabilities of the new Russian hypersonic ballistic missile “Oreshnik“. At the same time, the Russian president boasted that his troops were advancing along the entire front line in Ukraine. The publication also touched on Putin's statement that he was ready for "negotiations and compromises" with the newly elected US President Donald Trump.