Putin: Russia advancing despite ‘Russophobic West’

Russian President Vladimir Putin has claimed Russia is continuing to advance militarily and achieve economic gains despite opposition from what he described as the “Russophobic and aggressive” part of the collective West.

Speaking at the All for Victory forum organised by the All-Russia People’s Front this week, Putin said Russia was developing its economy, strengthening its finances and armed forces, and achieving new results in its military-industrial complex.

“Our soldiers, our fighters are moving forward,” Putin said, attributing the country’s performance partly to the work of the All-Russia People’s Front, which he said had brought together more than 20 million people.

Putin acknowledged that Ukrainian attacks were causing problems with supplies of petroleum products in parts of Russia but said the situation would gradually improve.

He said work was under way to create a system for supplying Crimea with petroleum products that would be difficult for Ukraine to reach.

Putin also vowed that Russia would respond to Ukrainian strikes on its territory with attacks that mirrored them but were several times more powerful.

“Wherever they try to strike the territory of the Russian Federation, we will respond in kind, but with strikes several times more powerful,” Putin said.