Vladimir Putin says Russia confident, can ‘move forward’

MOSCOW (Agencies): President Vladimir Putin said Thursday that Russia could “move forward” despite Western economic sanctions and political isolation during its Ukraine offensive, as he began a long-awaited end-of-year news conference.

“There is enough for us not only to feel confident, but to move forward,” Putin said, adding that the country’s strengths included “a high consolidation of Russian society… the perseverance of the financial economic system… (and) the increasing possibilities of our army’s capabilities.”

The goals of Russia’s “military special operation” in Ukraine remain unchanged, Putin said, adding that there was no need for a further mobilization of army reservists.

“There will be peace when we achieve our goals,” Putin told his annual press conference.

Putin said some 486,000 people had so far signed up voluntarily as contract soldiers, on top of the 300,000 people called up last year, and “the flow is not diminishing.”