MOSCOW, June 13. /TASS/. Russia will accomplish all of its set objectives in the special military operation in Ukraine and these goals have not fundamentally changed since it was launched more than a year ago, Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Tuesday.
"On the whole, there are no fundamental changes as of today regarding the objectives that we had outlined at the beginning of the operation. There are no changes," Putin said at a meeting with military reporters.
"Yes, unfortunately the shelling continues and that is about it. But on the whole, we will continue methodically advancing [toward accomplishing the set objectives], will work on it and will take care of it. I am sure that we will settle this issue," the Russian president said.
Putin also said that Ukraine’s demilitarization continues to be an issue and Russia is consistently and methodically working to resolve this problem.
"What does the Ukrainian military fight with? "Does it [the Ukrainian military industrial complex] manufacture Leopards or Bradleys? Or, perhaps they manufacture F-16 fighters, which haven’t been delivered yet? They do not produce a single thing."
"Soon, the Ukrainian military industrial complex will cease to exist at all. They are supplied with ammo, military hardware, weapons; everything is being delivered to them. You can’t live like this for long, you can’t last," Putin added.
Russia’s special military operation
On February 21, 2022, Russian President Vladimir Putin announced that Moscow was recognizing the sovereignty of the Donetsk People’s Republic (DPR) and the Lugansk People’s Republic (LPR). Russia signed agreements on friendship, cooperation and mutual assistance with the DPR and LPR leaders. Moscow recognized the Donbass republics in accordance with the DPR and LPR constitutions within the boundaries of the Donetsk and Lugansk regions as they existed at the beginning of 2014.
Putin announced on February 24, 2022, that, in response to a request by the heads of the DPR and LPR for assistance, he had decided to carry out a special military operation in Ukraine. The DPR and LPR launched a joint operation to liberate their territories that were under Kiev’s control.
From September 23 to September 27, 2022, the DPR and the LPR as well as the Kherson and Zaporozhye regions held referendums on joining Russia, in which the majority of voters opted to join Russia.
On September 30, 2022, Putin and the heads of the DPR and LPR, and of the Zaporozhye and Kherson regions signed treaties on their accession to the Russian Federation. Later, the State Duma (lower house of Russia’s parliament) and the Federation Council (upper house) approved legislation on ratifying these treaties, as well as federal constitutional laws on the accession of the four regions to Russia.