MOSCOW (AP) — President Vladimir Putin said Thursday that some 244,000 Russian troops who were called up to fight in Ukraine are on the battlefield.
Putin said during his year-end press conference that the Kremlin doesn’t need a second wave of mobilization of reservists, with 1,500 men recruited into the army every day across the country.
As of Wednesday evening, a total of 486,000 soldiers have signed a contract with the Russian military, Putin said.
He did not give a total number of troops fighting in Ukraine.
“Why mobilization? There is no need,” he said.
Putin said Thursday that Moscow’s goals — “de-Nazification, de-militarization and a neutral status” of the country — remain unchanged.
He spelled out the goals the day he sent troops to Ukraine in February 2022.
“De-Nazification” refers from Russia’s allegations that the Ukrainian government is heavily influenced by radical nationalist and neo-Nazi groups. The claim is derided by Ukraine and the West.
Putin has also demanded that Ukraine remain neutral — and not unite the NATO alliance.
“There will be peace when we will achieve our goals,” Putin said.
The Kremlin has since repeatedly said that the “special military operation” in Ukraine will continue until those loosely defined goals are achieved.
