Russian President Vladimir Putin stated that Russia's military has maintained the "strategic initiative" on the battlefield in Ukraine this year. Addressing senior military officials at a Defense Ministry meeting, he emphasized that 189 towns and villages in Ukraine were "liberated" by Russian forces in 2024.<br />“In view of rising geopolitical tensions, we must take additional measures to ensure security of Russia and our allies,” Putin said. “We are doing it accurately and in a balanced way to avoid being drawn into a full-scale arms race.”<br /><br />#Russia #Ukraine #USA <br />
