On Oct. 7, Russian President Vladimir Putin held a high-profile meeting with the Russian Defense Ministry and senior officials of the General Staff in St. Petersburg. Director of the Federal Security Service Alexander Bortnikov was also in attendance. The opening remarks of both Putin and Chief of the General Staff Valery Gerasimov were publicized, in a clear message.
Putin began by saying that “The strategic initiative fully remains with the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation,” and that “the enemy is retreating along the entire line of contact.” He also praised the efforts of the armed forces and the country’s defense industry. “Defense enterprises are meeting in full the Armed Forces’ requests for high-precision weapons, missiles, ammunition, arms, and military equipment,” he went on, adding that the development and deployment of new technologies is ahead of schedule.
Gerasimov followed by describing how Russian forces are “advancing along nearly all axes.”
