Kremlin says Putin fully briefed on Ukraine 'regrouping'
Russian President Vladimir Putin is receiving round-the-clock updates on the situation with Moscow’s military action in Ukraine, his press-secretary Dmitry Peskov said, after being questioned on Russian troops’ withdrawal from some areas to “regroup.”
“Certainly, everything happening and all actions of the military during the special operation [in Ukraine] are being reported to the commander-in-chief,” the spokesman told the media on Monday.
Putin can be in touch with Defense Minister Segey Shoigu and Russian military commanders “at any time of the day” as he is supposed to, Peskov added.
Russian journalists were questioning Peskov over Putin’s awareness and communication schedule after Ukrainian forces conducted a successful offensive last week. Kiev’s troops managed to push Russian forces in northern Ukraine out of a number of settlements in the Kharkov region. The Russian Ministry of Defense made few remarks about the development, acknowledging only a retreat, which it described as necessary to “regroup” the troops.
US Senator Mark Warner (D-Virginia), who chairs the chamber’s Intelligence Committee, confirmed in an interview with CNN that the offensive had been prepared with the help of the US and British intelligence services. The assistance “kept the Russians, and Putin in particular, on their backheel,” he claimed.
Commenting on what the setback meant for the outcome of the Russian military operation, Peskov reiterated that Moscow will continue it “until the goals that were set in the beginning are achieved.”
The official was responding to questions about a social media post made by former Russian president Dmitry Medvedev, now the deputy chair of the Russian national security council, who appeared to suggest that Moscow may up the ante in Ukraine.
Responding to the refusal of Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky to talk to Russia due to its “ultimatums,” Medvedev said on Monday his country’s demands were just “a warm-up” compared to the “demands of the future.” He added that Moscow may seek “a total capitulation of the Kiev regime, on Russia’s conditions.”
