The goal of demilitarizing Ukraine, declared by Moscow at the start of the military campaign in the neighboring country, has been achieved "to a large extent", according to the Kremlin. "Ukraine is using less and less of its own weapons and more and more of the weapon systems supplied to it by Western countries," Russian Presidency spokesman Dmitri Peskov said.
Therefore, "one of the tasks" that the Russian side had set for itself "has in fact been largely accomplished," he added. Peskov insisted that Ukraine was "heavily militarized" a year and a half ago, which can no longer be said now.
Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered what Moscow continues to call a "special military operation" in Ukraine on February 24, 2022, citing the need to "demilitarize" and "denazify" the neighboring country, as well as protect the population of Donbas.
This week, the head of the Kremlin stated that the objectives of the war campaign had been modified during its course without undergoing fundamental changes.
