Putin says Russia should've invaded Ukraine sooner

Russian leader Vladimir Putin has said that the so-called "special military operation" ("SVO") – as Russian propaganda refers to the war against Ukraine – should have been launched even earlier. He made this remark when asked whether he would change his mind if he could return to February 2022.

Source: Putin in a speech at the annual end-of-year press conference

Quote: "I believe the decision we made in early 2022 should've been made sooner. That’s the first point. Secondly, knowing what was coming, we should've started preparing for these events, particularly the 'SVO'. The Crimean events [Russia's occupation of Ukrainian Crimea] were spontaneous, and the events of 2022 began without preparation. Why did it happen? Because we couldn’t afford to remain passive and patient, waiting for the situation to worsen for us."

Details: Putin also reiterated his accusations against Ukraine, claiming that Kyiv had refused to implement the Minsk agreements. He mentioned "eight years of war" and the "destruction of everything associated with Russia" in Ukraine.

When a journalist asked about the personal impact of the war on him, Putin lamented that he was joking and laughing less.

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