Moscow – President Vladimir Putin is projecting high confidence in his military’s performance, announcing the capture of nearly 5,000 square kilometers of Ukrainian territory this year and declaring that Russia holds the “complete strategic initiative.”
This message was delivered to his most senior military officials, framing the Russian war effort as successful and advancing. Putin added that Ukrainian strikes deep inside Russia would not change this favorable situation.
While Putin focused on the battlefield, his Ukrainian counterpart, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, exposed a different kind of threat. He accused Russia of using its fleet of oil tankers for covert intelligence and sabotage missions.
Zelenskyy vowed a firm response to this unconventional tactic. He stated that Ukraine and its allies are actively developing a plan to counter these alleged operations, expressing his certainty that “it is entirely possible to stop this.”
The backdrop to these events is the looming threat of further escalation. Putin issued a stark warning to the U.S., stating that providing Tomahawk missiles to Ukraine would be a grave miscalculation that would shatter their bilateral relationship.
Putin’s Confidence High After Claiming 5,000 sq km Gain in 2025
