Russian troops are advancing across Ukraine battlefield, says Putin

Russian President Vladimir Putin has been giving his annual news conference (Pavel Bednyakov/AP)

Russian President Vladimir Putin has said Moscow’s troops are advancing across the battlefield in Ukraine, voicing confidence that the Kremlin’s military goals willl be achieved nearly four years after he ordered troops into the neighbouring country.

Speaking at his highly orchestrated year-end news conference, Mr Putin claimed that Russian forces have “fully seized strategic initiative” and would make more gains by the year’s end.