Russian President Vladimir Putin addressed the personnel of the Russian Armed Forces and the citizens of Russia to provide an update on events in the area of the special military operation, Sputnik reported.

“I want to inform the personnel of the Russian Armed Forces, the citizens of our country, our friends around the world, as well as those who still harbor illusions about the possibility of delivering a strategic defeat to Russia, about the events currently unfolding in the zone of the special military operation, particularly in light of the use of long-range Western-made weapons against our territory,” Putin said in his address on Thursday.

Long-range Western-made missiles targeted military facilities in Russia’s Kursk and Bryansk regions.

“On November 19, six ATACMS tactical missiles produced in the United States, and on November 21, during a combined missile attack, Storm Shadow systems produced in the United Kingdom struck military targets on Russian territory in the Bryansk and Kursk regions,” Putin said.

However, Russia’s air defense systems intercepted the attacks, and the adversary failed to achieve its objectives, Putin added.

“Our air defense systems repelled these attacks,” the president stated. “As a result, the objectives clearly set by the adversary were not achieved.”

Western long-range missile strikes on Russian territory have given the conflict in Ukraine a global dimension, Putin noted in the address.

The use of Western long-range missiles against Russia will not affect the course of the special military operation (SMO), Putin assured.

“I want to emphasize once again that the adversary’s use of such weapons cannot influence the course of hostilities in the special military operation zone,” he said in his statement. “Our forces are advancing successfully along the entire line of contact. All the objectives we set for ourselves will be accomplished.”

MNA