lets go directly to the source rather than fool around with 'our mockingbird media';

Russian President Vladimir Putin held his annual ‘Direct Line’ event in Moscow on Thursday during which he addressed a wide range of issues in the marathon Q&A session. From regrets about the timing of Russia’s military operation in Ukraine to blunt comments on global and domestic challenges, the Russian leader offered numerous insights into his thinking. Here are the key takeaways from the event:

Putin: Maybe we should have launched the Ukraine operation earlier

The Russian president acknowledged that it might have been better to have launched the military operation in Ukraine sooner.

“You know, if it were possible to look at the situation in 2022, knowing what is happening now, what would I think? That such a decision, which was made at the beginning of 2022, should have been made earlier,” he said. Putin added that he acted at the time “because it was impossible to stand still and wait for the situation to get worse for us – that’s what it’s all about.”

He said the operation is a necessary step to secure Russia’s national interests, dismissing accusations of aggression........more..........