News - Middle East: The Kremlin says that Russian forces have so far succeeded in making significant progress towards “demilitarizing” Ukraine, one of the goals set out by Russian President Vladimir Putin when he launched the “special military operation” early this year.

“It can be stated that there is significant progress towards demilitarization,” Speaking at a news briefing on Friday, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said while addressing a news briefing on Friday.

The spokesman’s remarks came on the heels of comments by Putin, who noted that Ukraine’s defense potential was close to zero.

Upon the start of Russia’s special military operation in Ukraine in February, Putin declared that Moscow’s objective was to demilitarize the pro-Russia regions in the eastern parts of the country.

Recent reports indicate that Ukraine’s military-industrial complex as well as it energy and transportation infrastructure have been badly knocked out and damaged in Russian airstrikes.

Media outlets also reported weeks ago that half of the country’s energy system was destroyed and the other half under threat, warning that Ukraine was on the edge of a complete blackout.

However, the US, along with its Western allies, has compensated for these losses and has provided Ukraine with a raft of lethal military arms, fanning the flames of war. Until now, Pentagon has sent about $50 billion worth of weapons to the Kiev forces to fight against Russia.

Peskov told journalists earlier that US President Joe Biden’s meeting with his Ukrainian counterpart at the White House showed the US is waging a proxy war of “indirect fighting” against Russia down “to the last Ukrainian.”
He said providing Kiev with weapons will not prevent Russia from achieving its objectives in Ukraine.

“This leads to the fact that, unfortunately, the suffering of the Ukrainian people will continue longer than it could have,” he warned, adding that sending weapons would only lead to an “aggravation of the conflict” and did not “bode well for Ukraine.”

Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova said that no matter how many weapons shipments the West provides to Kiev forces, “they will achieve nothing.”

“As the leadership of our country has stated, the tasks set within the framework of the special military operation will be fulfilled, taking into account the situation on the ground and the actual realities.”

Meanwhile, Putin said on Thursday that he wanted to end the war as soon as possible and that this would have to happen through diplomatic means.
However, the United States said that the Russian leader had shown “absolutely zero indication that he’s willing to negotiate.”