Is Ukraine’s new drone a game-changer in the war?
Al JazeeraMAR 13 2023
Day 288 Roundup: Putin Admits War Could Be 'Long-Term Process'; Europe Lacks Defense Capabilities, Says Top Diplomat
Image copyright: AP Photos [via AP News]
The Facts
In a meeting with his Human Rights Council on Wednesday, Russian Pres. Vladimir Putin admitted the war could turn into a "long-term process," but hailed the achievements of his military's territorial gains to date.
In response to a question, Putin said: "As for the slow process of the special military operation, then, of course, it can be a long-term process. But then you mentioned that new territories had appeared. This is such a significant result for Russia … The Azov Sea has become an internal Russian sea. Even Peter I had fought for access to the Azov Sea."
Meanwhile, on the question of nuclear weapons, Putin said: "Such a threat is growing, it would be wrong to hide it." However, he insisted that "under no circumstances" would Russia use the weapons first. "We have not gone mad. We are aware of what nuclear weapons are," he said. "We aren't about to run around the world brandishing this weapon like a razor."
The Spin
Anti-Russia narrative
Putin's Human Rights Council, like many other public events conducted by the Kremlin, was highly orchestrated to avoid the Russian leader facing scrutiny and difficult questions. The remarks are largely meaningless.
Pro-Russia narrative
In a show of transparency, Putin took a host of questions about the ongoing conflict from journalists and civic leaders. The president offered leadership by giving frank responses to a range of issues, in order to help settle the minds of the Russian population.