Putin says Russia is winning on battlefield, will not negotiate with 'terrorists'

Key Points:

• President Vladimir Putin claimed Russia is winning the war in Ukraine, asserting Russian advances are accelerating and that the enemy will eventually crumble, though he did not specify a timeline.
• Putin described the Ukrainian leadership as "terrorists" and dismissed the possibility of negotiating with them, while expressing openness to peace talks aimed at ending the war, including with U.S. envoys.
• He acknowledged damage caused by Ukrainian drone attacks on Russian territory, particularly to oil refineries, but stated that protection measures have improved and most refineries are being repaired.
• Putin denied rumors of a new Russian military mobilization and accused the German government of falsely blaming Russia for a drone attack at Leipzig airport, alleging Germany planted evidence to deflect from domestic issues.
• Russian forces reportedly captured 270 square km in the Donetsk region in August and surrounded significant Ukrainian troop groups, with continued advances toward Sloviansk and Kramatorsk, though these claims could not be independently verified.