Putin: Russia will press on with campaign

President Vladimir Putin says that Russia will press on with its military action in Ukraine until its goals are fulfilled.

Putin said Tuesday that the campaign is going according to plan. He said it is not moving faster because Russia wants to minimize losses.

He said during a visit to the Vostochny space launch facility in Russia’s Far East that the “military operation will continue until its full completion and the fulfillment of the tasks that have been set.”

Putin claimed that Ukraine backtracked on proposals it made during talks with Russian negotiators in Istanbul, resulting in a deadlock in talks and leaving Moscow no other choice but to press on with its offensive.