Vladimir Putin has warned that the country's invasion of Ukraine could be "lengthy". President Vladimir Putin warned Wednesday of a drawn-out military intervention in Ukraine more than nine months into a conflict the Kremlin had hoped would end after a days-long assault on Kyiv. Moscow had expected fighting to last just days before Ukraine's capitulation, but on Wednesday Putin warned results could be a long time coming. "New territories appeared - well, this is still a significant result for Russia and this is a serious issue," Putin said. The Donetsk region has been partially controlled by Russian forces since 2014, when Moscow-backed separatists wrested control of Donbas near the Russian border and Moscow annexed the Crimean peninsula.

Source: News 24 December 08, 2022 08:26 UTC