MOSCOW (AP) 鈥� President Vladimir Putin boasted that his military operation in Ukraine has strengthened Russia and denied that the ouster of key ally Bashar Assad in Syria had hurt Moscow鈥檚 prestige, as he took questions at his annual news conference and call-in show Thursday.
He used , which lasted about 4 1/2 hours, to reinforce his authority and demonstrate a sweeping command of everything from consumer prices to military hardware.
Sending troops into Ukraine in 2022 has boosted Russia鈥檚 military and economic power, Putin said, adding that if he could do it over, 鈥渟uch a decision should have been made earlier鈥� and Russia could have 鈥減repared for it in advance and more thoroughly.鈥�
"Russia has become much stronger over the past two or three years because it has become a truly sovereign country,鈥� he said. 鈥淲e are standing firm in terms of economy, we are strengthening our defense potential and our military capability now is the strongest in the world.鈥�
Putin, who has held power and earlier this year, said the military was 鈥渁dvancing toward achieving our goals鈥� in what he calls the special military operation in Ukraine.
In response to a question about a that Russia used for the first time last month to strike Ukraine, Putin scoffed at claims by some Western experts that it could be intercepted by NATO鈥檚 air defenses.
He mockingly challenged Ukraine鈥檚 allies to a 鈥渉igh-tech duel,鈥� suggesting that Moscow could give advance notice of a strike on Kyiv with the Oreshnik missile and see if the West could protect the city.
鈥淟et them select a target, possibly in Kyiv, put their air defense assets there and we shall strike it with the Oreshnik,鈥� he said with a dry smile. 鈥淟et鈥檚 see what happens.鈥�
Speaking on a visit to Brussels, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy responded to Putin鈥檚 comment by asking, 鈥淒o you think it鈥檚 a sane person?鈥�
Putin calls general's killing a security 鈥榖lunder鈥�
Russia is making steady, if slow, advances in Ukraine, but has also suffered embarrassing setbacks. On Tuesday, by a bomb planted outside his apartment building in Moscow 鈥� a brazen assassination claimed by Ukraine that brought the conflict once again to the streets of the Russian capital.
Putin described Kirillov鈥檚 killing as a 鈥渕ajor blunder鈥� by Russia鈥檚 security agencies, noting they should learn from it and improve their efficiency.
Moscow's troops are also battling Ukrainian forces in the Russian region of Kursk, where they have launched an incursion. Asked when they would drive the Ukrainians out, Putin said 鈥渨e will certainly kick them out鈥� but wouldn鈥檛 say how long it would take.
In a flourish typical of the marathon news conferences, he asked members of the audience to unfurl a banner presented to him by marines fighting in Kursk as he spoke about Ukraine.
Open to talks on Ukraine but reiterates Russia's demands
Putin said he was open to possible talks with U.S. President-elect Donald Trump, who has pledged to negotiate a deal to end the conflict in Ukraine.
鈥淚f we meet with Mr. Trump, we will have things to discuss,鈥� he said, without elaborating.
Putin said Russia also is open for compromise in potential peace talks on Ukraine.
鈥淧olitics is the art of compromise,鈥� he said. 鈥淲e have always said that we are ready for both talks and compromises.鈥� At the same time, Putin added that the talks should be based on 鈥渢he situation on the ground鈥� referring to some of the conditions he previously laid out.
Putin has previously demanded that Ukraine renounce its bid to join NATO and recognize Russia鈥檚 gains. Kyiv and the West have rejected those demands.
Putin says he'll ask Assad about missing American Tice
In his first comments on , Putin said that he hadn鈥檛 yet met the former Syrian ruler, whom he has given asylum in Moscow, but plans to. He said he will ask him about , an American journalist who vanished in Syria 12 years ago.
鈥淲e also can pose the question to people who control the situation on the ground in Syria,鈥� Putin said, responding to a question from NBC鈥檚 Keir Simmons, who cited a letter he said Tice鈥檚 mother wrote to the Russian leader seeking assistance.
Moscow has sought to establish contacts with the rebels who ousted Assad to secure its diplomatic and military personnel and try to extend the lease on its air and naval bases in Syria.
鈥淚f we stay there, we will need to do something in the interests of the host country,鈥� he said, adding that Moscow offered to use its Hemeimeen air base and naval base in Tartus for humanitarian aid deliveries. 鈥淲hat those interests could be, what could we do for them is an issue to be thoroughly examined by both parties.鈥�
But it鈥檚 unclear how much influence Russia will have in Syria. Assad鈥檚 fall has dealt it a painful blow after Russia fought for nine years to prop him up in the country鈥檚 civil war.
Still, Putin denied the events had weakened Moscow, arguing it achieved its goal of destroying 鈥渢errorist鈥� groups in Syria via an air campaign launched in support of Assad in 2015. He claimed that rebel groups fighting Assad have changed and the West is ready to establish ties with them.
鈥淭hat means that our goals have been achieved,鈥� Putin said.
He described Israel as the 鈥渕ain beneficiary鈥� of Assad鈥檚 downfall, noting the deployment of Israeli troops in southern Syria and voicing hope for their eventual withdrawal.
He noted the Syrian army offered little resistance to the opposition offensive and said Russia flew 4,000 Iranian troops from Hemeimeem air base to Tehran.
Putin declines to criticize Biden over pardoning his son
Asked about President Joe Biden鈥檚 , to spare him a possible prison sentence for felony gun and tax convictions, Putin said he wouldn鈥檛 criticize the U.S. leader.
鈥淎s for Biden, he鈥檚 a politician, and it鈥檚 always important which side prevails: political or human,鈥� he said. 鈥淚t turned out that there was more human in Biden. I wouldn鈥檛 condemn him for this.鈥�
Putin said Russia shouldn't rush to bury the body of Soviet Union founder Vladmir Lenin, which has been displayed in a mausoleum on Red Square for nearly a century, to avoid splitting society.
Like in previous years, the live show was dominated by domestic issues, with journalists and ordinary citizens asking about soaring consumer prices and mortgages, paltry pensions and a shortage of doctors. Russian state media reported that the public submitted over 2 million questions in advance.
Putin opened the session by saying the economy is on track to grow by nearly 4% this year. He acknowledged that consumer prices are high, with inflation at 9.3%, but insisted the situation remains 鈥渟table.鈥�
The show was as much spectacle as news conference as journalists in the hall near the Kremlin waved colorful signs and placards to attract Putin鈥檚 attention, many of them acting as proponents of local issues.
Vladimir Isachenkov, The Associated Press
