Putin’s Year-End Press Conference: A Grim Assessment of the War in Ukraine
President Vladimir Putin’s annual press conference, a marathon four-hour event held on December 19th, offered a stark glimpse into the realities of the ongoing conflict in ukraine. While Putin claimed responsibility for various domestic issues, including inflation and security incidents, he remained conspicuously silent on key aspects of the war, notably the reported involvement of North Korean troops.
A key takeaway from the conference was Putin’s bold assertion: “Russian troops are advancing along the entire front every day.Thay are regaining territory not in 100, 200 or 300 meters, but in square kilometers.” However, self-reliant assessments paint a different picture.
Data from the Institute for the Study of War (ISW) reveals a notable slowdown in Russian advances. While Russian forces reportedly gained 27.96 square kilometers per day in November, that rate dropped to 17.1 square kilometers per day in the first 18 days of December. This deceleration suggests a potential shift in the momentum of the conflict.
Further evidence of mounting Russian losses comes from the British Ministry of Defense, which reported that on November 28th, Russian forces suffered over 2,000 casualties in a single day—an unprecedented figure. The average daily casualty count in November reached a staggering 1,523, highlighting the immense human cost of the war. From September to November, an estimated 125,800 Russian soldiers were lost while gaining approximately 2,356 square kilometers of territory—a ratio of 53 casualties per square kilometer.
These figures raise serious questions about the sustainability of Russia’s military campaign and the long-term implications for regional stability. The high casualty rate underscores the brutal reality of the conflict and its devastating impact on both sides.
(International journalist Masato Kimura)
According to the article, data from the Institute for the Study of War (ISW) reveals a slowdown in Russian advances. While Russian forces reportedly gained 27.96 square kilometers per day in November, that rate dropped to 17.1 square kilometers per day in the first 18 days of December. [1]
