Putin said where Russian troops could go in Ukraine.
President Putin stated that wherever there are "the footprints of Russian soldiers," that place "belongs to Russia."
According to RIA Novosti, during the plenary session of the Saint Petersburg Economic Forum (SPIEF) on June 20, Russian President Vladimir Putin answered a question about the extent of Russian military reach in Ukraine.
Sky News Arabia's CEO, Nadim Koteich, asked: "Mr. President, I cannot doubt what you have just said – let's assume that this is a fundamental provision reflecting the reality of the situation, but your military has gone further, beyond the four regions that Moscow considers its own. What is the final outcome you see? How far can your military go?"
In response to this question, President Putin said: "I have said many times that I consider Russians and Ukrainians to be one people; in this sense, all of Ukraine is ours."
Putin stated that Russia has no mandate to control the city of Sumy, but this possibility cannot be ruled out. The actions of the Russian military in the Sumy region are determined by the logic of how the conflict should continue from the Ukrainian side. The Ukrainian Armed Forces are constantly shelling Russian border territories. The result of these moves by Kyiv is the creation of a security zone by the Russian military. The depth of this security zone in Sumy is between 8 and 12 kilometers. And the Russian military is advancing along the entire line of contact every day.
"This is not a saying, not a fable, but an old rule: Wherever the footprints of a Russian soldier have walked, that is Russia," President Putin said.
President Putin stated that Russia is not seeking to surrender to Ukraine, but is determined to recognize the realities on the ground. According to him, Ukraine has lost 76,000 people in the Kursk region. Kyiv attacked the Kursk region to receive assistance from Western donors, therefore, the attack on Kursk had political objectives.
"Kyiv created its own problems by attacking the Kursk region, extending the front line by 2,000 km. Furthermore, the Ukrainian Armed Forces committed numerous crimes in the Kursk region, including against civilians," President Putin stated.
