Putin cites capturing Donbas as Russia’s primary objective in Ukraine

In an increasingly rare question-and-answer session at the Eastern Economic Forum in Vladivostok on Thursday, Vladimir Putin indicated that the Ukrainian attempt to force a Russian redeployment of troops from Donbas to the Kursk region had failed, adding that capturing Donbas remained Russia’s principal objective in the war.

“The aim of the enemy was to make us worry… and to stop our offensive in key areas, especially in the Donbas,” Putin said, adding that the Russian military had “stabilised the situation” in Russia’s southwestern Kursk region, where a month-long Ukrainian incursion is continuing, and had begun “gradually squeezing” the enemy from Russian territory.

Putin also accused Ukraine of undertaking “very dangerous terrorist attacks” on nuclear power plants in both the Zaporizhzhia region of Ukraine and Russia’s Kursk region, adding that one could “only imagine what would happen … to that entire part of Europe” were Russia to respond in kind.

Nevertheless, Putin also indicated that Russia was prepared to begin peace talks with Kyiv on the basis of a preliminary agreement reached between Russian and Ukrainian negotiators in the first weeks of the war, but which was never implemented. The de facto Russian leader also named China, India and Brazil as potential mediators in any future talks.

Addressing the indictment of Telegram CEO Pavel Durov in France, Putin said that he had in fact met the tech billionaire once many years ago in Moscow, contradicting Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov’s recent claim that the pair had never met.

While keen to stress that Russia had “no claims” against Durov itself, Putin said that many other foreign governments did, as Telegram was used by those who could “harm their activities”.

When asked for his thoughts on the upcoming US elections, the de facto Russian leader quipped with a wry smile that Russia would support the candidacy of Kamala Harris on the basis that her “infectious laugh” showed that she was “doing well”.

“Trump introduced more restrictions and sanctions on Russia than any other president has ever done before. And if Harris is doing well, then maybe she will refrain from actions of this kind,” Putin added.