In a highly anticipated annual news conference, Russian President Vladimir Putin addressed the ongoing war in Ukraine on Thursday and stated that over 617,000 Russian troops are currently fighting in Ukraine. He claimed that Russian forces are strengthening their positions on almost all fronts.What are Russias objectives in WarThe Russian leader emphasized that his objectives in Ukraine remain unchanged. The objective included securing the countrys neutrality, achieving de-Nazification, and ensuring de-militarisation. He declared that peace will only come once these objectives are fulfilled.During the conference, Putin also unexpectedly compared the situation in Ukraine to the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas in Gaza. He characterized the Gaza situation as a catastrophe unfolding on a larger scale, drawing a distinction between the two conflicts. The Russian President added, Everybody here and around the world can see and look at the special military operation and at what is happening in Gaza and feel the difference.Third month of Israel-Hamas conflictThe conflict between Israel and Hamas has entered into third month. Earlier, the war broke out on October 7 when the Palestinian militant group Hamas, attacked Israel which killed over 1,200 people, mostly civilians.
