I should have invaded Ukraine earlier, Putin tells Russians in TV marathon

Putin tells an end-of-year press conference there should have been "systemic preparation" for the full-scale invasion.

British Broadcasting CorporationWatch LiveHomeNewsSportBusinessInnovationCultureArtsTravelEarthVideoLiveHomeNewsIsrael-Gaza WarWar in UkraineUS & CanadaUKUK PoliticsEnglandN. IrelandN. Ireland PoliticsScotlandScotland PoliticsWalesWales PoliticsAfricaAsiaChinaIndiaAustraliaEuropeLatin AmericaMiddle EastIn PicturesBBC InDepthBBC VerifySportBusinessExecutive LoungeTechnology of BusinessFuture of BusinessInnovationTechnologyScience & HealthArtificial IntelligenceAI v the MindCultureFilm & TVMusicArt & DesignStyleBooksEntertainment NewsArtsArts in MotionTravelDestinationsAfricaAntarcticaAsiaAustralia and PacificCaribbean & BermudaCentral AmericaEuropeMiddle EastNorth AmericaSouth AmericaWorld’s TableCulture & ExperiencesAdventuresThe SpeciaListEarthNatural WondersWeather & ScienceClimate SolutionsSustainable BusinessGreen LivingVideoLiveLive NewsLive SportHomeNewsSportBusinessInnovationCultureArtsTravelEarthVideoLiveAudioWeatherNewslettersI should have invaded Ukraine earlier, Putin tells Russians in TV marathonReutersRussian President Vladimir Putin has said Russia should have launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine earlier and been better prepared for the war.

In his end-of-year press conference on Thursday, Putin said, with hindsight, there should have been "systemic preparation" for the 2022 invasion, which he refers to as a "special military operation".

Russia seized Crimea from Ukraine in 2014 and pro-Russian forces began a conflict in eastern Ukraine, but it was eight years later that Putin tried to seize Kyiv.

During his four-hour long appearance, Putin also talked about Syria's deposed leader, Russia's more aggressive nuclear doctrine as well as domestic issues, like the price of butter.

Billed as "Results of the Year with Vladimir Putin", the event was broadcast live across the main state TV channels on Thursday.

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cdjgzrkxp97o

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