Putin Thanks Volunteer Soldiers in Special Military Operation

The Russian leader has thanked volunteer soldiers in the special military operation for their motivation and readiness to defend the Motherland during his meeting with military correspondents.

"What could one wish them? Not only to wish. They should be thanked for this motivation and for their readiness to defend our common large Motherland. You know, I am in contact with them," Putin said.

Moreover, the president praised the contribution of the media in forging unity in Russian society, which demonstrated the solidarity necessary for the country during the special military operation.

"This is a great advantage of ours, of Russia. It is ours with you, with the media, because it is an enormous work of the media — that we together with you have recently forged the unity of Russian society. And it has shown the solidarity Russia needed during the combat, the military operation," Putin stated.

While addressing military correspondents, he underscored that the information sphere is one of the most important battlefields, and every action should work for the country's benefit and strengthen the state's efficiency. Therefore, he said, one can't put private interests above the state's ones - "the wrong place at the wrong time."

Regarding building solidarity among Russian people, he noted that the country should involve civilian specialists working with military personnel. He further elaborated that the military needs psychologists, teachers, and historians, who have in-depth expertise in their particular field and understand how to work with soldiers.

Russia's Special Operation in Ukraine

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During the meeting, one of the correspondents asked Putin if he knew the whereabouts of Commander-in-Chief of the Ukrainian Armed Forces Gen. Valeriy Zaluzhny. On May 30, the Russian Ministry of Internal Affairs announced a manhunt for him. At the end of last year, the Investigative Committee opened a criminal case against Zaluzhny and other representatives of the Ukrainian military leadership for ill-treatment of prisoners of war and civilians.

"I know. I think I know. Well you ask him. But to do this you have to switch to a foreign language. It seems to me that he is abroad. But I could be wrong," Putin said.

The general attitude of Kiev's regime towards Russian soldiers, as well as prisoners of war, is reflected in the recent comments of Ukrainian presidential adviser Mykhailo Podolyak, who said that the country's counteroffensive included eliminating as many Russians as possible. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov commented on his remarks, highlighting that the statements should be assessed in the West.

"Podolyak is not a pioneer when it comes to such statements. Both the head of military intelligence and members of the Security Council of Ukraine have repeatedly spoken of the desire to kill as many Russians as possible. First of all, of course, it would be very good if such statements were somehow assessed abroad," Peskov stated.

He continued by stating that lawmakers in the West must understand to whom they are sending supplies. According to him, foreign parliamentarians are sponsoring "de facto murderers, those who declare their intention to kill." The spokesman added that Russians should and will punish for such statements.