Russian President Vladimir Putin stated on Friday that while he had "no regrets" over this week's devastating missile attacks on civilian targets throughout Ukraine, he added that there was currently no need for any "massive" strikes.
The wave of missile strikes against Ukrainian cities started on Monday in retaliation for the weekend bombing of a crucial bridge connecting Russia's occupied Crimean Peninsula to the country.
Putin Acknowledges Unpleasant Situation in Ukraine
Although the origin of the explosion is unknown, Putin blamed Kyiv for it and said it was a "terrorist attack" that must be responded to, according to CNN. A two-day period of heavy bombardment that resulted in at least 19 fatalities and widespread destruction of civilian targets outraged the entire world.
The strikes also seriously damaged Ukraine's electrical infrastructure, forcing residents to cut back on use at peak hours to prevent blackouts. Putin stated that although while he did not regret the strikes and thought Russia's course of action was appropriate, he did acknowledge that "what is occurring now is unpleasant."
Putin also justified his September-starting partial mobilization of Russians, telling reporters that it is anticipated to expire in two weeks and that 222,000 soldiers have already been enlisted.
The mobilization got off to a chaotic start last month, sparking rare protests throughout the country. Hundreds of thousands of people - mostly fighting-age men - fled Russia, pouring into neighboring countries like Georgia and Kazakhstan to avoid conscription.
No NATO nation has suggested sending troops to Ukraine, despite the fact that the Russian president has begun portraying his invasion of that country as a battle with the West. Additionally, the warmonger assured reporters that "nothing further is planned" regarding upcoming conscriptions and that the enormously unpopular mobilization strategy will expire in two weeks.
The extent to which Putin has been successful in bolstering his lagging army is still unknown, as is the total number of people who have been mobilized so far, as per NY Post.
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Putin Says No Need For Massive New Strikes on Ukraine
Although 300,000 troops were specified in the initial mobilization notification, the actual order did not impose a limit on the number to be called up. According to Russian media sources, up to 1.2 million Russians may have been forced into duty. Violence, suicides, protests, and a major migration of males of fighting age from the country have all been linked to the mobilization. Those called up are also apparently old and unprepared, according to reports.
In the three weeks that have passed since the mobilization order was issued, Russia has continued to lose territory to Ukrainian soldiers. Putin reiterated his defense of his invasion of his Ukrainian neighbors on Friday, asserting that he "did not set out to destroy Ukraine" and that he has no regrets.
Per Sky News, Putin stated that he is open to the notion of holding discussions with Ukraine and added, "We have always expressed this." In response to rumors that he might be open to talks regarding a short-term peace agreement with Ukraine, he stated that if Kyiv is "ready for talks, mediation efforts would be required."
Peace negotiations between the two nations have stalled, including those held in Istanbul in March. Putin stated that there was "no need for big strikes" at this time because the majority of the selected targets had already been hit and that Russia had not set itself the goal of "destroying Ukraine."
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