Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine
Putin’s war record: 189 places captured in Ukraine in 2024
Shortly before the end of the third year of the war, Kremlin chief Putin and his defense minister Beloussov take stock of the situation with satisfaction. Both mention many, but unverifiable, numbers – and new tasks.
According to Kremlin chief Vladimir Putin, Russian armed forces have captured 189 locations in the neighboring country so far this year in their war against Ukraine. “The Russian Armed Forces are firmly in possession of the strategic initiative along the entire line of contact,” Putin said at a Defense Ministry meeting in Moscow.
Minister Andrei Beloussov said that a total of 4,500 square kilometers in Ukraine had been conquered. In the Donetsk, Zaporizhzhia and Kherson regions, the Ukrainian armed forces still controlled between 25 and 30 percent of the area; in the Luhansk region only 1 percent.
The Russian information cannot be independently verified. However, independent observers had confirmed that the Russians had made massive territorial gains this year. According to calculations by the Ukrainian Telegram channel UA War Infographics, Russian troops have conquered a good 2,800 square kilometers since the beginning of the year – an area larger than Saarland. This means that Russian terrain gains are already almost 20 times the previous year’s value.
Minister: More than 1,200 war volunteers per day
Minister Beloussov spoke of the rapid pace of Russia’s advance in Ukraine. Currently, more than 1,200 volunteers sign a contract for the war effort every day. “This year alone, over 427,000 soldiers have already been recruited,” he said at the gathering of officers and representatives of Russian society.
Putin and Beloussov once again accused NATO of massively expanding its presence. Measures must be taken against the threat, said Beloussov. For example, the new Oreshnik missile system should go into series production next year. A new unit will also be founded within the armed forces for unmanned aerial vehicles.
According to Beloussov, Russia now spends a third of its budget – 32.5 percent – on defense. That is 6.3 percent of the gross domestic product. Putin explained that it was a lot, but necessary. Military-technical cooperation with other states – “the majority of countries” – will also be expanded, he said.
Russia has been waging a war of aggression against Ukraine for almost three years. With the Crimean peninsula, which was annexed by Russia in 2014, around a fifth of Ukrainian territory is under Moscow’s control.
dpa
Source: Stern
I have been working in the news industry for over 6 years, first as a reporter and now as an editor. I have covered politics extensively, and my work has appeared in major newspapers and online news outlets around the world. In addition to my writing, I also contribute regularly to 24 Hours World.
