Published: Aug 24, 2025, 24:44 IST | Updated: Aug 24, 2025, 24:44 IST
Russian President Vladimir Putin doubled down on his claim that Russia did not start the war in Ukraine.
He referred to the ongoing invasion as a "special military operation" aimed at halting the conflict, not initiating it.
Putin also stated that Russia, being the largest country by landmass, had "no need to take territory" from Ukraine — despite the ongoing occupation of Ukrainian regions like Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson, and Zaporizhzhia.