Not my intention to destroy Ukraine – Putin

Russian President Vladimir Putin on Friday said it was not his aim to destroy Ukraine, adding that his most designated targets in Ukraine of the strikes had been hit.

Putin’s words come as Russian forces seem stalled and Ukraine advances, almost eight months since the invasion.

Speaking to journalists after a summit with regional leaders in Kazakhstan’s capital Astana, the Russian leader said that the recent strikes had destroyed 22 out of the 29 targets in Ukraine set by the military and that “they are getting” the remaining seven.

“There’s no need for massive strikes. We now have other tasks,” he said.

From Monday onwards, Russia unleashed a wave of strikes on cities across Ukraine, in what Putin said was retaliation for a blast which damaged a key bridge between Russia and annexed Crimea.

Dozens of people were killed and injured in the strikes, which also damaged infrastructure. Central areas of Kyiv were targeted for the first time since the invasion.

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But Putin said it was not Russia’s intention to destroy Ukraine, but he did not regret the invasion.

“What is happening today is not pleasant, to put things mildly,” he said. “But all the same, [if Russia hadn’t attacked] we would have been in the same situation, only the conditions would have been worse for us. So we’re doing everything correctly and at the right time.”

A UK intelligence report says Russian forces from the private military company Wagner Group have captured two villages in Donetsk region, in their first successful advance in the area for three months

President Putin said 220,000 men had been mobilised, of whom 16,000 were already in combat. He saw no need for additional mobilisation, he added.

However, the call-up has caused widespread discontent in Russia, with tens of thousands of men fleeing to neighbouring countries. The BBC has also found evidence of the poor level of training such conscripts or recruits receive before being sent to the front.

Meanwhile, the BBC Russian service says it has identified more than 7,500 Russian service personnel who have died in the Ukraine war. The actual level of casualties is believed to be much higher, and there are reports that some recently mobilised troops have been killed.