Russia will finish war when...: What Putin said on Ukraine conflict endgame

Firing his shots at the West and Ukraine, the Russian President Vladimir Putin, in an exclusive interview with India Today, said that Russia did not start the Ukraine war. Rather, it was Ukraine, under the influence of the West, that involved Russia in the ongoing war. However, Russia will finish the war after achieving its goals. The India Today anchors, Anjana Om Kashyap and Geeta Mohan, then asked Putin what would be considered a victory for him? They also referred to one of his old quotes that mentioned that the country would only submit arms if Ukraine removes troops from several territories claimed by Russia. Answering this, Putin highlighted antagonisms between the two countries. He mentioned that Ukraine has harmed Russian interests by banning the Russian language in several territories and driving people away from temples, churches, and so on. The President noted that Russia is desperate to protect its interests at any cost. "The point is that Russia is determined and will certainly do so to protect its interests, protect its people living there, protect our traditional values, the Russian language, and so on," Putin said to India Today. He further pointed out that Ukraine banned the Russian Orthodox Church and seized many others, and Russia is fighting to reaffirm its position on those territories. In the interview, the President left no stone unturned to foil the conspiracy hatched by the West to start a war against Russia."