MOSCOW, July 8. /TASS/. Russian President Vladimir Putin’s remark that Russia "has not yet started anything in earnest" in Ukraine means that the capacities of Moscow and Kiev are incomparable, Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters on Friday.

He explained that Putin was referring to Western countries’ statements that "Kiev will move on to victory on the battlefield." "Putin just pointed out that our capacities were completely disproportionate. Russia’s capacity is so large that only an insignificant part of it has so far been activated for the special military operation," Peskov noted, when asked to clarify what Putin had said.

This is why, in Peskov’s words, "all these statements by Westerners are literally absurd, they only increase the Ukrainian people’s suffering."

Putin mentioned at a meeting with the leaders of parliamentary factions on Thursday that some wanted to defeat Russia on the battlefield. "What can be said here? Let them try," Putin said. The head of state stressed that Moscow had heard a lot about the West’s desire to fight against it "until the last Ukrainian." "However, everyone should know that by and large, we haven’t started anything in earnest yet," Putin warned.