Meeting with Defence Ministry and General Staff senior officials

Earlier in the day, the President made a visit to St Petersburg's Peter and Paul Cathedral to lay flowers at the tomb of Peter the Great and have a conversation with the cathedral's dean.

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President of Russia Vladimir Putin: Comrades, as you are aware, September 30 marked the day of reunification of the Donetsk and Lugansk people's republics and the Zaporozhye and Kherson regions with the Russian Federation. The overwhelming majority of the people in those regions voted for reuniting with Russia, which goes to show that the February 2022 decisions were correct and timely.

The strategic initiative fully remains with the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation. This year, we liberated nearly 5,000 square kilometers, 4,900 to be specific, and 212 population centres. Our soldiers and officers played the decisive role in making that happen. They displayed the best qualities of the Russian military, such as selfless devotion and love for their Motherland, a profound sense of duty, military camaraderie, and brotherhood in arms. Please convey my sincere gratitude to the personnel for their daily courage and heroism.

I would also like to note the crucial role of the country's defence industry in ensuring the Army's successful operations. Defence enterprises are meeting in full the Armed Forces' requests for high-precision weapons, missiles, ammunition, arms, and military equipment. Alongside regular deliveries, the development and deployment of the latest means of armed combat are going ahead of schedule.

Even though putting up persistent resistance, the enemy is retreating along the entire line of contact. Against this backdrop, in an attempt to show its Western sponsors at least some semblance of success, the Kiev regime is trying to target civilian facilities deep inside our territory. This will not help it. Our goal is to ensure the safety of the Russian citizens, as well as the safety of the strategic sites and civilian infrastructure, including energy facilities.

Today, we will review the unfolding developments in the zone of the special military operation and hear reports by the commanders of the groups of forces about the status of the implementation of their missions, discuss pressing issues of supply maintenance, and outline plans for the near future.

Let's get to the reports.

Please go ahead Mr Gerasimov.

Valery Gerasimov Gerasimov ValeryChief of the General Staff of Russia's Armed Forces - First Deputy Minister of Defence : Comrade Supreme Commander-in-Chief,

The troops of the Joint Force continue to conduct active combat operations, advancing along nearly all axes. The enemy has concentrated its main efforts on stabilising the situation in critical sectors of the front with the aim of slowing our offensive.

The North group of forces is operating in the border zone and continues to carry out tasks to establish a security belt in the Kharkov and Sumy Regions of Ukraine. Its units are also successfully advancing in the southern part of Volchansk.

The West Group of Forces is completing the defeat of the enemy in the southern quarters of Kupyansk and is advancing successfully in the Krasny Liman direction. The liberation of the residential community of Yampol continues, with the majority of it now under our troops' control.

Despite fierce enemy resistance, troops of the South group of forces are fighting their way forward in the towns of Seversk and Konstantinovka. The destruction of encircled enemy formations south of the Kleban-Byk Reservoir was completed yesterday.

The most intense combat operations are taking place in the sector of responsibility of the Centre group of forces - along the Krasnoarmeysk and Dnepropetrovsk directions. In an attempt to halt our advance, the Ukrainian command has redeployed its most combat-ready units from other sectors, including from strategic reserves, to these directions. Nevertheless, overcoming enemy resistance, the formations and units of the Centre group of forces are continuing their offensive. Our assault detachments are advancing in the southern districts of Krasnoarmeysk. The community north of Krasnoarmeysk - Rodinskoye - has been encircled, and mopping-up operations against AFU formations are currently underway.

The East group of forces continues to advance deeper into enemy defences in the Dnepropetrovsk and Zaporozhye Regions. Since September 1, over 200 square kilometres of territory have come under our control in this direction.

Troops of the Dnepr group of forces are advancing towards the city of Zaporozhye. Combat operations are currently underway for control of the communities of Primorskoye and Stepnogorsk. Additionally, in accordance with the General Staff's plan, targeted massive strikes continue against military installations and facilities of Ukraine's military industry. Priority is given to neutralising enterprises producing missile systems and long-range unmanned aerial vehicles.

Comrade Supreme Commander-in-Chief, the formations and units of the Joint Force will continue offensive operations in accordance with the approved plan. The Joint Force Commander will provide a more detailed report on the current situation.

Report concluded.

Vladimir Putin: Comrades,

Our shared objective remains unchanged - we must ensure the unconditional fulfilment of all goals set for the troops in the course of the special military operation. Let us begin this work and review our progress towards this objective.

The first report will be delivered by Colonel General Yevgeny Nikiforov, Commander of the North group of forces. Please, proceed.

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