No Counter-Offensive Will Change Russia’s Intention

Following Ukraine’s recent counter-offensive Russia’s plans will not change , Vladimir Putin has said in his first public comments on the matter.

During an achieviable feat, Ukrainian forces say they captured over 8,000 sq km in six days in the north-eastern Kharkiv region.

But Mr. Putin said he was “not in a hurry, and the offensive in Ukraine’s Donbas region remains on track.”

He also noted that Russia had so far not deployed its full forces.

Mr. Putin said after a summit in Uzbekistan that “our offensive operation in the Donnas is not stopping. They’re moving forward -not at a fast pace – but they are gradually taking more and territory.”

Russia’s invasion has majorly being focus on industrial region in east of Ukraine, which Mr. Putin falsely claims is necessary to save Russian-speakers from genocide.

Parts of the Donbas have been occupied by Russian-backed separatists since 2014. The Kharkiv region, where Ukraine’s recent counter-attack was launched, is not part of the Donbas.

In his comments, Mr. Putin also pointed out that only part of the Russian army is fighting in Ukraine, threatening a “more serious” response if Ukrainian attacks continue.

“I remind you that the Russian army isn’t fighting in its entirety… Only the professional army is fighting.”

Russia initially denied sending conscript soldiers to Ukraine, but several officers were disciplined after cases came to light of conscripts being forced to sign contracts and in some instances being taken prisoner.

So far, Russia has not officially declared war on Ukraine and only refers to its invasion as a “special military operation.”

But after Russia’s recent losses, some pro-Kremlin commentators have called for more forces to be mobilised. A recent leaked video which appears to show an attempt to recruit convicts to a private military company suggests Russia is struggling to find enough men willing to fight.

BBC/JideJohnson.