Russia Fighting with Only a "Small Part" of its Army in Ukraine: Putin

Russia’s President Vladimir Putin says only a fraction of its armed forces are fighting Ukraine currently.

He added that Moscow is ready for negotiations only if the Ukrainian side itself agrees to such negotiations.

"They refuse. The first condition is that they agree. But they don't want to," he told reporters on Friday. "Mr. Zelenskyy (Ukrainian President) has publicly said that he is not ready and does not want to talk with Russia… Well, I'm not ready and I don't need to.”

"The Kyiv authorities have announced that they have launched and are conducting an active counter-offensive operation. Well, let's see how it will develop, how it will end," Putin said.

He stated the plan for special military operation in Ukraine is not subject to adjustment.

"The General Staff makes operational decisions in the course of the operation, considers something to be the key, the main goal, and the main goal is the liberation of the entire territory of Donbass," Putin said.

According to him, this work continues, despite "these counteroffensive attempts (of Ukraine).”

"Our offensive operations in the Donbas itself do not stop, they are going at a slow pace (...), the Russian army is occupying new and new territories," the president stressed.

"I (want to) draw your attention (to the fact that) we are not fighting with a full army. We are fighting only with a part of the Russian army, a contract part," Putin said.

He said: "We are not in a hurry in this part, but by and large, in essence, there are no changes."

The remainder of Russian servicemen are deployed across the country with a number of them currently taking part in various drills.