Russia dismisses Ukraine's chances of reclaiming lost territory

Russia continues its military offensive in Ukraine, fully rejecting US President Donald Trump's assertion that Ukraine's army stands a chance of regaining territory taken by Russian forces. This response follows Trump's characterization of Russia as a 'paper tiger', a claim that the Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov firmly dismissed. He conveyed that Russia's strength is significant and emphasized their historical association with the bear rather than a paper tiger. For many generations to come, Russia views the possibility of defeat by America and Ukraine as highly improbable. Since February 2022, the Russian military has been actively engaged in a large-scale offensive aimed at the capital city of Kyiv. The Kremlin's ambitions for this offensive include the toppling of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. Russian control now extends to approximately one-fifth of Ukraine's territory, which includes the Crimean peninsula that was annexed back in 2014. Despite both sides experiencing substantial losses, the Russian military continues to gain ground in this conflict. Meanwhile, Moscow has taken steps to mitigate its budget deficit brought on by the ongoing war, suggesting an increase in sales taxes as a possible solution to cover costs associated with the military campaign. In stark contrast, Kyiv and Washington are both working to diminish Russia's revenues from crucial energy exports, aiming to inflict further pressure on the Kremlin. Additionally, tensions in the conflict have escalated recently, evidenced by a Ukrainian drone attack that reportedly killed two individuals in the Russian port city of Novorossiysk. Reports of multiple violations of NATO airspace by Russian aircraft have added to the strain, with accusations surfacing that Russia is testing the limits of NATO’s boundaries. Peskov characterized these claims as hysteria, further dismissing Trump’s opinions on Russia's military capabilities as fluctuating and lacking reliable basis.