Ukraine forces have advanced 7½ miles into Russia and control more than two dozen villages.
In the highly choreographed security meeting Monday, Putin sidestepped the symbolic significance of Ukraine’s surprise attack — which has galvanized the Ukrainian public and delivered a morale boost to Kyiv’s depleted and exhausted soldiers.
Instead, Putin, who read an address to security officials from a notepad covered in large black handwriting, asserted that the goal of the incursion was to prevent Russian advances in eastern Ukraine and insisted that this had failed.
“Our armed forces are moving forward along the entire line of contact,” Putin said.
