Kremlin again claims Russia is close to 'winning' the war against Ukraine

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov has once again voiced confidence that Russia's victory in its war against Ukraine is close at hand. Statements of this kind have been a recurring feature from the Russian side since the start of the invasion.

Russian dictator Vladimir Putin, the country's Defense Ministry, propaganda outlets and numerous officials have long repeated similar claims — that the Russian army is supposedly winning constantly, advancing steadily, and capturing new territory, while Ukraine's armed forces are said to be on the verge of collapse.

Promises without substance

Such statements have now been made for a fifth consecutive year since Russia launched its aggression against Ukraine. Moscow initially promised the war would end in its victory within roughly three days, yet the fighting has dragged on for years despite repeated announcements of an approaching triumph.

Peskov's latest remark fits into this long-standing pattern of rhetoric, in which the Kremlin periodically issues similar claims of imminent victory that have so far failed to materialize.