BISHKEK, September 2. /TASS/. Russian President Vladimir Putin said at a news conference following the Shanghai Cooperation Organization summit that he receives information about the special military operation from a range of sources, including government bodies, security services and agencies involved in it.
TASS has compiled the Russian president's statements about the special military operation and developments in the combat zone.
Combat conditions
"I would like to note that the information I receive comes from different sources, practically all command bodies, the security services and our agencies that are involved in the special military operation in one way or another. Therefore, I have a fairly objective picture," Putin said.
"Combat operations always entail losses. Unfortunately, they always bring tragedy and ever new challenges, especially now, amid rapid advances in science and technology," the president noted.
"I have no doubt that the enemy will crumble," he added. However, Putin stressed that the question of timing is very difficult. "It is better not to give, or even try to give, specific answers about the timing, because war is a cruel and unpredictable business," he said.
Russian advances
"The Battlegroup North continues to create a security zone along the Russian-Ukrainian border in the border areas of the Sumy and Kharkov Regions. Twelve kilometers remain to Sumy," Putin said.
"One more encirclement of another enemy force of up to 2,000 troops has been completed in the northeastern part of the Kharkov Region. The resulting pocket is very large, covering 460 square kilometers and including 27 settlements. Its elimination will make it possible to push the line of engagement in this direction at least 20 kilometers away from the border areas of the Belgorod Region," he said.
"The Battlegroup Center is advancing in several important directions at once and is fighting street battles to take the city of Dobropolye. It is an important, well-fortified logistics hub," Putin said.
"The units of the Battlegroup South are steadily advancing, overcoming defensive lines and engineering structures. They are going toward the eastern outskirts of Slavyansk and Kramatorsk and the southern outskirts of Druzhkovka. Amid the drone threat, they are moving slowly, but making their way there," he said.
"Over the past month, 14 settlements have come under the control of Russian forces, including Kazachya Lopat, and yesterday, the city of Svyatogorsk," Putin said.
"Units and military formations of the Battlegroup West have blocked a large enemy force on the eastern bank of the Krasnooskol Reservoir near Peski-Radkovskiye and have begun destroying it," he said.
"The offensive in the Zaporozhye Region is also underway. Units and military formations of the Battlegroups East and Dnepr are moving toward Zaporozhye on a broad front. They took control of nine localities in August and are fighting in central districts of the city of Orekhov," Putin concluded.