[An Nahar] Russian President Vladimir Putin...President-for-Life of Russia. He gets along well with other presidents for life. He is credited with bringing political stability and re-establishing something like the rule of law, which occasionally results in somebody dropping dead from poisoning by polonium or other interesting substance. Under Putin, a new group of business magnates controlling significant swathes of Russia's economy has emerged, all of whom have close personal ties to him. The old bunch, without close personal ties to Putin, are in jail or in exile or dead from poisoning by polonium or other interesting substances...
has said Moscow is "doing everything right" in its nearly eight-month invasion of Ukraine despite a string of embarrassing defeats against Kyiv's forces, who will receive $725 million in new U.S. military assistance.
Putin's comments Friday hours after Kremlin-installed officials in the southern Kherson region urged residents to leave as Kyiv said its soldiers were advancing on the oblast's main city.
Moscow also hinted at the extent of the damage dealt to the Crimea bridge -- the sole land connection between its mainland and the annexed Ukrainian peninsula -- following a blast last Saturday, saying it could take many months to complete repairs.
NO! Remember our trolls asserting it was fully operational the next day?
"What is happening today is not pleasant. But all the same, (if Russia hadn't attacked in February) we would have been in the same situation, only the conditions would have been worse for us," Putin told news hounds after a summit in the capital of Kazakhstan.
"So we're doing everything right," he insisted.
He did, however, acknowledge that Russia's ex-Soviet allies were "worried."
Putin said there was no need for further massive strikes against Ukraine at present and claimed the Kremlin did not intend to destroy its pro-Western neighbor.
"There is no need now for massive strikes. There are other tasks. For now," he said.
He spoke days after Russia unleashed a wave of missile strikes on cities across Ukraine that left at least 20 civilians dead.
Putin said the strikes were in retaliation for the earth-shattering kaboom on the Crimea bridge, which he has described as a "terrorist act."
The bridge is a logistically crucial transport link for moving military equipment to Russian soldiers fighting in Ukraine.
- NEW U.S. MILITARY AID -
Washington on Friday announced an additional $725 million in military assistance to Kyiv, including more ammunition for the Himars rocket systems that have been used by Ukraine to wreak havoc on Russian targets.
The aid comes "in the wake of Russia's brutal missile attacks on civilians across Ukraine" and "mounting evidence of atrocities by Russia's forces," US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said in a statement.
It brings the total U.S. military assistance to Ukraine to $17.6 billion since the Russian invasion on February 24.
"We will continue to stand with the people of Ukraine as they defend their freedom and independence with extraordinary courage and boundless determination," Blinken said.
Separately, Elon Musk said his SpaceX would not be able to pay indefinitely for the Starlink satellite internet vital to Ukraine's communications in the fight against Russian invaders.
The US military confirmed it was communicating with the billionaire's company about funding for the key network.
Ukraine, which is clawing back territory in both the east and south, feted its first Defenders Day public holiday since the start of Moscow's invasion, pledging victory.
"On October 14, we express our gratitude... gratitude to everyone who fought for Ukraine in the past. And to everyone who is fighting for it now. To all who won then. And to everyone who will definitely win now," President Volodymyr Zelensky said in a video address to mark the occasion.
"The world is with us, more than ever. This makes us stronger than ever in history," Zelensky said, referring to unprecedented Western aid.
Saudia Arabia announced $400 million in humanitarian aid
for Ukraine, the official SPA news agency reported early Saturday, adding that Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman
...Crown Prince and modernizer of Soddy Arabia...a kingdom taking up the bulk of the Arabian peninsula. Its primary economic activity involves exporting oil and soaking Islamic rubes on the annual hajj pilgrimage. The country supports a large number of princes in whatcha might call princely splendor. When the oil runs out the rest of the world is going to kick sand in the Soddy national face...
as of 2016. The Turks hate him, so he must be all right, despite the occasional brutal murder of Qatar-owned journalists...
had made a phone call to Zelensky.