Putin claims major gains in Ukraine, refuses talks with Kyiv's leaders

Russian President Vladimir Putin again framed Moscow as winning the war in Ukraine and dismissed any possibility of negotiating with Ukrainian leaders, labeling them terrorists. He acknowledged Ukrainian attacks inside Russia and the drone threat but asserted that Russian forces were making gains and advancing toward Sloviansk and Kramatorsk. Putin claimed Russia had captured about 270 square kilometers in Donetsk in August and said two large Ukrainian formations had been surrounded, while promising massive strikes against Ukraine’s energy infrastructure. He reiterated that a new mobilization would be “utter nonsense,” and while open to talks on ending the war, he indicated negotiations would not proceed with the current Ukrainian leadership. Putin also criticized Ukraine’s warnings to airlines as purported “state terrorism” and suggested Moscow would respond if such threats materialized, with Reuters noting some claims could not be independently verified. Overall, his remarks conveyed confidence in battlefield progress amid domestic concerns over fatigue and economic strain.