Russian President Vladimir Putin announced progress towards key military objectives in Ukraine, praised the invincibility of Russia's hypersonic missile, and challenged Western air defenses in a bold statement during his annual Q&A session.
President Vladimir Putin said on Thursday that Russian forces were moving towards achieving their primary goals on the battlefield in Ukraine and touted what he said was the invincibility of Russia's new hypersonic missile.
Fielding questions on state TV during his annual question and answer session with Russians, Putin said Moscow's forces were advancing along the whole of the battle front.
"I must say that the situation is changing dramatically... There is movement along the entire front line. Every day," he said.
Western and Russian military analysts say Russia is advancing in eastern Ukraine at the fastest pace since 2022, taking village after village and threatening strategically important cities such as Pokrovsk, a major road and rail hub.
"Our fighters are reclaiming territory by the square kilometre every day," Putin said.
He said the fighting was complex, so it was "difficult and pointless to guess what lies ahead... (but) we are moving, as you said, towards solving our primary tasks, which we outlined at the beginning of the special military operation."
"Everyone is fighting, literally heroically. And they are fighting right now. Let us wish them all...good luck, victory and to return home," he said.
Discussing the continued presence of Ukrainian forces in Russia's Kursk region, Putin said Kyiv's troops would definitely be forced out, but declined to say exactly when that would happen.
Putin also touted what he said was the invincibility of the "Oreshnik" hypersonic missile which Russia has already test- fired at a Ukrainian military factory, saying he was ready to organise another launch at Ukraine and see if Western air defence systems could shoot it down.
"There is no chance of shooting down these missiles," said Putin.
"Let Western experts propose to us, and let them propose to those in the West and the U.S. who pay them for their analysis, to conduct some kind of technological experiment, say, a high-tech duel of the 21st century.
"Let them determine some target for destruction, say in Kyiv, concentrate all their air defence and missile defence forces there, and we will strike there with Oreshnik and see what happens. We are ready for such an experiment, but is the other side ready?" he said.
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The European Union views the Palestinian Authority as "best placed to govern Gaza," according to EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas, following her meeting with Palestinian Prime Minister Mohammad Mustafa in Ramallah.
U.S. President Donald Trump has indicated that he is prepared to take a more flexible stance on new tariffs for automobiles and other goods than initially expected.
A group of top Trump administration officials reportedly shared sensitive military plans over the encrypted messaging app Signal just hours before the United States launched strikes on Houthi targets in Yemen, sparking a political storm in Washington.
Bank of America (BofA) said the recent volatility in Turkish markets has so far had only a limited inflationary impact, stressing that Türkiye’s economic management remains in control.
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Mexican forces have dismantled a massive meth lab in Zacatecas, dealing a blow to a Sinaloa Cartel faction.
The Houthi group in Yemen claimed responsibility for a series of missile and drone attacks, targeting Ben Gurion airport in Israel and U.S. warships in the Red Sea.
The European Union views the Palestinian Authority as "best placed to govern Gaza," according to EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas, following her meeting with Palestinian Prime Minister Mohammad Mustafa in Ramallah.
U.S. President Donald Trump has indicated that he is prepared to take a more flexible stance on new tariffs for automobiles and other goods than initially expected.
A group of top Trump administration officials reportedly shared sensitive military plans over the encrypted messaging app Signal just hours before the United States launched strikes on Houthi targets in Yemen, sparking a political storm in Washington.
Bank of America (BofA) said the recent volatility in Turkish markets has so far had only a limited inflationary impact, stressing that Türkiye’s economic management remains in control.
The Houthi group in Yemen claimed responsibility for a series of missile and drone attacks, targeting Ben Gurion airport in Israel and U.S. warships in the Red Sea.
The European Union views the Palestinian Authority as "best placed to govern Gaza," according to EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas, following her meeting with Palestinian Prime Minister Mohammad Mustafa in Ramallah.
U.S. President Donald Trump has indicated that he is prepared to take a more flexible stance on new tariffs for automobiles and other goods than initially expected.
A group of top Trump administration officials reportedly shared sensitive military plans over the encrypted messaging app Signal just hours before the United States launched strikes on Houthi targets in Yemen, sparking a political storm in Washington.
Bank of America (BofA) said the recent volatility in Turkish markets has so far had only a limited inflationary impact, stressing that Türkiye’s economic management remains in control.
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