Russian President Vladimir Putin claimed that the past year’s events indicate that the West is engaging in “hybrid warfare” against Russia. He also pledged not to give up on “the goals of the special military operation in Ukraine.”
On Tuesday, Putin spoke at an expanded Defence Ministry meeting attended by the military’s top brass, which included Russian Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu, Chief of General Staff Valery Gerasimov, and Director of the Federal Security Service (FSB) Alexander Bortnikov.
West’s Hybrid Warfare
Putin stated that the West continues to wage a hybrid war against Russia by “actively providing the Kyiv regime with real-time intelligence data, sending military advisers, and transferring new weapons systems to the country, including high-mobility multiple rocket launchers, long-range missile systems, cluster munitions, and large batches of new UAVs.”
The Russian leader also acknowledged Western countries’ plan to send F-16 multirole fighter jets to Ukraine and said that the pilots are currently being trained in the West.
Putin further discussed how NATO recently strengthened its overall operations by adding soldiers in Eastern and Central Europe. “As we know, Finland has been dragged into NATO already, and Sweden is planning to join. In fact, this means a new stage of the alliance’s advance to our borders,” he said.
“The West is not abandoning its strategy to contain Russia and its aggressive goals in Ukraine. Well, we are not going to give up the goals of our special military operation either,” Putin remarked.
Russia’s War Problems, Priorities, and Tasks
Putin emphasised the need to restructure Russia’s communications system and more effectively use modern reconnaissance, target designation, and counter-battery warfare methods.
“We need to increase the capabilities of our satellite constellation not only for the special operation zone, but also at the global level,” he added.
The Russian leader stated that the air defence system needs to be improved as well, saying, “We have to seriously increase the production and supply of high-precision projectiles and drones of various types.”
Putin noted that due to the “changing nature of military threats” and the rise of new military and political risks, “the role of the nuclear triad, which ensures the balance of power, the strategic balance of power in the world, has significantly increased.”
Accordingly, “By the end of the year, 15 Yars and Avangard missile system launchers will be put into combat service in the strategic missile forces,” Putin revealed.
President Vladimir Putin said on Tuesday that Russia would be prepared to talk to Ukraine, the United States and Europe about the future of Ukraine if they wanted to, but that Moscow would defend its national interests.https://t.co/ANtF6utE1M
— News24 🇿🇦 (@News24) December 19, 2023
According to the Russian leader, the amount of weapon and equipment purchases and repairs will increase significantly in 2024.
He claimed that Russian defence companies respond to the needs of the armed forces participating in the special military operation faster and better than their Western counterparts.
The president also talked about courses and training plans for military personnel, particularly training modules for drone use, which have been integrated into the curriculum of all Defence Ministry educational institutions and centres.
War Situation in Ukraine
“The enemy [Ukraine] is suffering heavy losses,” Putin said, adding that the country has mainly squandered its reserves to show their “real bosses at least some progress in their much-hyped operation they call a counter-offensive.”
“The myth about the Western military equipment being invulnerable has also collapsed,” he said.
🤡 Putin said the U.S. provoked Russia to start a war in Ukraine
— NEXTA (@nexta_tv) December 19, 2023
According to him, it all started back in 2014, after the change of power in Kyiv. "What did the US do in Ukraine? In fact, they deprived us of the chance to build relations with this country in a normal, political… pic.twitter.com/EEJ2WH9iWN
Everything Would Have “Worked Out” in Ukraine if Minsk Agreements Were Implemented
Putin said that following the collapse of the Soviet Union, Western countries actively worked with a “fifth column” in Russia to break up the country and separate post-Soviet states.
The West worked with “the terrorist organisations, including international terrorist organisations, and separatists in order to fulfil their goal of breaking down Russia,” he went on.
Simultaneously, “they were equally active in the post-Soviet space, tearing apart the newly formed independent states, the former Soviet republics,” he added.
Putin pointed out that if Kyiv and the West had implemented the Minsk Agreements, things would have “worked out” in Ukraine.
“If the Ukrainian authorities and their Western handlers had agreed to it, agreed to implement these arrangements, everything would have gradually – I sincerely believe it – would have worked out,” the Russian president asserted.
“They unleashed the war in 2014, and we had to get involved gradually. Unfortunately, or maybe not, we had no choice, we had to get involved.” Putin argued.
Russia Could be Guarantor of Ukraine’s Sovereignty
Putin implied that Russia could be Ukraine’s guarantor of sovereignty and territorial integrity. “If they [Ukraine] do not want it, so be it. History will put everything in its place. We will not interfere, but we will not give up what is ours.”
In his concluding remarks, Putin said, “If they want to negotiate, let them do so. But we will do it only based on our interests.”