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Russian President Vladimir Putin said Saturday that Russian forces maintained a strategic advantage in the war with Ukraine and were continuing to advance along the front line.
Speaking during a televised meeting at the Kremlin, Putin claimed Ukrainian forces were unable to stop Russia’s advances and had turned to what he described as “terrorist methods.”
“Our troops maintain a strategic advantage, confidently advancing, and no amount of shelling or drone strikes will change this situation,” Putin said.
He said battlefield developments were unfolding in Russia’s favor despite Ukrainian attacks using artillery and drones.
Putin said June 4 that Russian forces had established full control over Ukraine’s Luhansk region.
He also claimed Russia controlled more than 85% of the Donetsk region and about 80% of the Zaporizhzhia region.
Putin said Russian forces had recently captured about 2,440 square kilometers, or 942 square miles, of territory and were continuing to advance across the front.
He presented those gains as evidence that Russia retained the initiative in the conflict.
Ukraine has disputed Russia’s account of the battlefield situation.
Ukraine’s commander-in-chief, Oleksandr Syrskyi, said Monday that Ukrainian forces had recaptured more than 600 square kilometers (232 square miles) of territory since the beginning of the year.
In a statement on Telegram, Syrskyi said Ukrainian troops retained the initiative in some parts of the front.
He also said Ukraine had regained nearly 100 square kilometers, or 39 square miles, more territory this month than it had lost.
The competing claims by Moscow and Kyiv could not be independently reconciled from the information provided.
U.S.-mediated efforts to end the war have stalled since U.S.-Israeli strikes on Iran began Feb. 28.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy last week called for direct talks with Putin and said Ukraine was prepared to observe a ceasefire during negotiations.
Putin rejected the proposal, saying he saw “no sense” in meeting Zelenskyy.
He argued that previous direct talks had failed to produce results.
The exchange came as both sides continued to claim battlefield momentum while diplomatic efforts remained at an impasse.
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