Russian President Vladimir Putin has said there are no results of Ukraine’s counteroffensive.
Addressing a Russian Security Council meeting on Friday, Putin said that "as a result of suicidal attacks," the Ukrainian Armed Forces have suffered extensive losses, with "tens of thousands" of soldiers killed.
He stressed that despite the "constant raids and total mobilization" across Ukraine, the Kiev regime "is finding it increasingly difficult to drive new reinforcements to the front."
The Russian president stated that neither the supply of weapons nor the presence of foreign mercenaries and advisers helped Kiev.
"Neither the colossal resources that were pumped into the Kiev regime, nor the supply of Western weapons, tanks, artillery, armored vehicles and missiles helped. The delivery of thousands of foreign mercenaries and advisers who were most actively used in attempts to break through the front of our army did not help either,” Putin said.
According to him, the West already lacks “Ukrainian cannon fodder,” which is why the Western leaders are considering using Lithuanians and Poles in hostilities.
"Hatching their revanchist plans, Polish authorities don't tell their people the truth. The truth is that the Ukrainian cannon fodder is clearly not enough for the West, so they plan to use new consumables - the Poles themselves, Lithuanians, and the list goes on. All those who the West will not feel sorry for,” Putin noted.
He warned that "This is a very dangerous game, and the authors of such plans should think about the consequences."
The Russian president added that "The existing production capacities in the West do not allow it to quickly replenish the consumption of reserves of equipment and ammunition.” According to Putin, the West needs “Additional massive resources and time."
Putin also praised the command of the Russian special military operation in Ukraine for their professionalism. "Our soldiers and officers, as well as units and formations are doing their duty to the Motherland courageously, steadfastly, and heroically," the Russian head of state pointed out.
The Russian head of state stressed that “At the same time, the whole world sees the much-hyped 'invulnerable' Western military equipment on fire [on the battlefield]. And in terms of its performance characteristics, it often even yields to some pieces of Soviet-made military hardware.”
The Russian president also warned of Eastern Europe leaders’ possible involvement in kindling “the fire of the war.”
“The fire of war is currently being intensively kindled as they use the ambitions of Eastern European states’ leaders, who have long turned hatred for Russia and Russophobia into their main export product and into an instrument of their domestic policy. And now they want to profiteer from the Ukrainian tragedy," he underscored.
Ukraine's much-hyped counteroffensive kicked off on June 4 after months of delays over a lack of military supplies from Western donors.
The Russian Defense Ministry said that Ukrainian troops kept trying, but were failing to advance. A number of Western media outlets also pointed to the unimpressive results of Kiev's counteroffensive, while Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky himself admitted that progress was "slower than desired."
Russian Defense Minister Sergey Shoigu, for his part, said that since the start of the Ukrainian counteroffensive, Russia has destroyed 21 enemy aircraft, five helicopters, and about 1,244 tanks, also eliminating more than 26,000 Ukrainian servicemen.