Putin: "What is happening now is not a good thing

Russia's invasion of Ukraine Putin: Our goal was never to destroy all of Ukraine 

 

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Josefine Karlsson 

 

Published: Less than 50 min ago 

 

Updated: Less than 40 min ago 

 

NEWS 

 

Russia "never had the goal of destroying all of Ukraine", says Vladimir Putin. 

 

He thinks Russia is "doing the right thing" and has no regrets. 

 

- But I want to make one thing clear. What is happening now is not a good thing, to put it mildly, he says at a press conference. 

 

Vladimir Putin held a press conference on Friday after he attended a summit in Kazakhstan's capital Astana. Then he was asked, among other things, whether he feels any regrets. 

 

- No. But I want to make one thing clear. What is happening now is not a good thing, to put it mildly, says the president according to a translation in a television broadcast on Dagbladet. 

 

Putin was also asked if Ukraine and Russia will continue to exist as sovereign states when the war is over. 

 

- Our goal was never to destroy all of Ukraine, he answered. 

 

 

Vladimir Putin during Friday's press conference. Photo: Valery Sharifulin/AP 

 

Mobilization completed within two weeks 

 

Putin defended the ongoing mobilization, stating that 222,000 Russian reservists have been mobilized. The goal is 300,000, AP reports. 

 

33,000 have been drafted into their military units and 16,000 are currently in combat. The mobilization is expected to be complete within two weeks, The Guardian reports. 

 

- It is 5-10 days of preparatory training. Then they are stationed, depending on military special skills. Then there are 5–15 days of training in the respective military units. The next step is for them to be stationed in the troops that are in combat, he says. 

 

 

Russia carried out coordinated airstrikes on several locations in Ukraine. Photo: Efrem Lukatsky / AP 

 

No plans for another air strike 

 

On Monday, Russia carried out a massive coordinated air strike on several locations in Ukraine after the bombing of the Crimean bridge. According to Putin, there are no plans for similar attacks. 

 

- There is no need for massive attacks. 

 

We have other goals now. However, he does not rule out that it may change. 

 

- But yes, we'll see later. 

 

In late September, Vladimir Putin ordered a partial mobilization in the country to strengthen the Russian military. This led to crowds of people deciding to leave the country and queuing for hours to cross the border. During today's press conference, Putin was asked what he thinks of citizens who left the nation after the announcement. 

 

- Some left because they were afraid of something, others left because they tried to avoid being drafted. We should consider legal action and we should take action against each individual, it cannot be done in any other way, Putin said.