Fight in Ukraine will continue until goals are met, Putin says

Russian leader Vladimir Putin on Thursday hosted his first year-end press conference since Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022. Media members and others attended the event. During the meeting, Putin said Russia had more than 600,000 troops stationed in Ukraine, nearly 500,000 of whom volunteered to fight. Moscow is expected to continue its so-called “special military operation” until it achieves the “de-Nazification, demilitarization, and a neutral status” in Ukraine, Putin said. Those loosely outlined goals were first mentioned at the beginning of the invasion. The term “de-Nazification” refers to Russia’s allegation that the Ukrainian government is heavily influenced by neo-Nazi groups—an allegation firmly denied by Kyiv and the Western countries.

How many troops has Russia lost? A U.S. intelligence assessment delivered to Congress on Monday found that Russia has lost 87 percent of the active-duty troops it had before invading Ukraine. Moscow has also lost two-thirds of its pre-invasion tanks, according to the report. 

Dig deeper: Read William Inboden’s column in WORLD Opinions about how it’s prudent for the United States to support other countries fighting its opponents—including Ukraine in its fight against Russia.