Donetsk, Dec 19 — DAN. Russia is not giving up the goals of the special military operation and is developing the initiative on the frontline, President Vladimir Putin said at an expanded meeting of the Defense Ministry’s Board on Tuesday.

“We are not going to give up the goals of the special military operation, ” Putin said. “Assessing the current situation on the ground, on the contact line, we can state with confidence that our troops have the initiative.”

The president said that Kiev had been suffering heavy losses and had largely run out of the reserves in the attempts to show its masters in the west “at least some result of its hyped-up counteroffensive.” *jk