What does the turn in Ukraine's attack on Russia imply?
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(CNN) --
Nearly 10 months after his invasion of Ukraine began, Russian President Vladimir Putin acknowledged Wednesday that the conflict "will take a while," also warning of the "growing" threat of nuclear war. .
Speaking at a meeting of Russia's Human Rights Council in the Kremlin, Putin said Moscow will fight by "all available means at our disposal" in what he insists on calling a "special military operation" but also said he did not see need to mobilize more troops.
"Regarding the protracted nature of the special military operation and its results, of course, it will take a while, perhaps," he said.
Attacks on Russian airbases highlight new Ukrainian drone program
And without categorically ruling out the first use of nuclear weapons, Putin said he viewed Russia's nuclear arsenal as a deterrent rather than a provocation.
“As for the idea that Russia would not use such weapons first under any circumstances, it means that we could not be the second to use them either, because the possibility of doing so in the event of an attack on our territory would be very limited,” he said.
“However, we have a strategy…namely, as a defense, we consider weapons of mass destruction, nuclear weapons;
everything is based on the so-called retaliatory attack, ”he said.
"That is, when we get hit, we hit back."
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The Russian leader said that the US nuclear weapons were located in large numbers on European soil, while Russia had not moved its nuclear weapons to other territories and does not plan to do so, but "it will protect its allies with all the means at its disposal." , if necessary”.
"We have not gone mad.
We are aware of what nuclear weapons are.
We have these means, they are in a more advanced and modern form than those of any other nuclear country, that is obvious, ”he said.
"But we're not going to brandish these weapons like a razor, circling the world."
Ukrainian drones attacked Russian airbases 0:49
'Significant result'
Putin also said there is no need for additional Russian troop mobilization at this time, saying suggestions for more deployments "just don't make sense."
Of the 300,000 men called up for Russia's partial mobilization, half are currently in Ukraine, and of those, only 77,000 are in combat units while the rest are in the defense forces or undergoing training, he said.
Meanwhile, in response to a question, he described Moscow's territorial gains as a "significant result for Russia."
In September Putin announced the annexation of four Ukrainian regions – Luhansk, Donetsk, Kherson and Zaporizhia – in a process that violated international law.
International tension over the risk of a nuclear accident in Zaporizhia 2:10
However, Russia currently controls only 60% of the southern Kherson region.
It was forced to withdraw from the regional capital city of Kherson last month in a humiliating setback, though it still controls the coast along the Sea of Azov.
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“Let's be honest, the Azov Sea has become an internal sea of the Russian Federation.
This is all a big problem,” Putin said.
In Zaporizhia, meanwhile, the United Nations nuclear watchdog has repeatedly warned of the risk of a nuclear accident at Ukraine's largest nuclear plant, which has been occupied by Russian forces since March.
The Zaporizhia nuclear power plant has been rocked by explosions in recent months amid close fighting, with Kyiv and Moscow blaming each other for the attacks.
Earlier this week, a Russian Foreign Ministry spokesman appeared to dismiss proposals by the International Atomic Energy Agency to create a demilitarized zone around the plant, claiming it was on "Russian territory and fully controlled by Russia."
wave of attacks
Putin's comments come as the war enters winter, and as Russia continues to shell the eastern and southern parts of Ukraine and face attacks on its own soil.
Earlier this week, Russia unleashed a wave of drone and missile attacks in Ukraine, targeting the country's energy infrastructure.
Ukraine has faced a broad assault on critical infrastructure and power sources since early October.
Russia seeks to leave Ukraine without electricity in the winter 2:44
The recent attacks caused major power outages in several regions, including Kyiv and Odessa, leaving many homes without power.
Ukrainian repair crews have worked frantically to restore power across the country, but their efforts are slowed by freezing temperatures and bad weather.
Meanwhile, Russia accused Kyiv of using drones to attack military airfields deep inside its territory on Monday and Tuesday, an extraordinary violation of Moscow's assumptions that it can protect its deep interior.
Ukraine has neither confirmed nor denied responsibility for the blasts, in line with Kyiv's official policy of silence on attacks inside Russia or in Russian-occupied Crimea.
However, in an apparent reference to the attacks, an aide to President Volodymyr Zelensky cryptically tweeted that "if anything is launched into other countries' airspace, sooner or later unknown flying objects will return to square one."
War in UkraineVladimir Putin
