Russia says it has conquered 189 Ukrainian localities in 2024

Russia has conquered 189 Ukrainian localities in 2024 and has the initiative on “the entire front line”, Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Monday in a speech to the main executives of his Defense Ministry.

Russian troops have the strategic initiative across the entire line of contact in Ukrainehe said, claiming the liberation of 189 localities courant 2024.

I would like to emphasize that the past year has been a pivotal year in terms of achieving the objectives of the special military operationhe added, using the euphemism de rigeur in Russia to mention the assault on Ukraine.

Russian Defense Minister Andrei Beloussov, who spoke after Mr. Putin, indicated that Russia had taken 4,500 km2 of Ukrainian territory this year, and was currently advancing 30 km2 per day.

The minister gave no indication as to Russian losses, a sensitive and classified subject, but claimed to have counted 560,000 soldiers killed or wounded in 2024 and a million since the start of the Russian assault in February 2022. Data unverifiable.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, for his part, admitted last week to the deaths of 43,000 soldiers and 370,000 wounded. He estimated Russian losses at 198,000 killed and 550,000 wounded.

Mr. Putin once again accused the countries ofI’LL TAKEallies of Ukraine, to pose a threat to Russia.

The countries ofI’LL TAKE increase their military spending. Alliance strike groups were formed and assembled near Russia’s bordershe accused.

Minister Andrei Belousov said that the Russian army must prepare to all possible developments in the situation, including the possibility of armed conflict with theI’LL TAKE in Europe in the decades to come.

Russia rejects the term invasion with regard to its assault on Ukraine and believes that its offensive was aimed at repelling theI’LL TAKEwhich kyiv wants to join, and to curb an existential threat.

In this context, Vladimir Putin praised the considerable increase in arms production in the country and called for it to continue.

All issues relating to mass production and deployment of national systems to carry out strikes, including hypersonic systems, must be resolvedhe said.

The master of the Kremlin also indicated that Russian forces were starting to use robotic systems, assisted by artificial intelligence.

Soldiers receive advanced robotic systems, some of which use artificial intelligence technologieshe said.