Vladimir Putin launched into a defiant nationalist tirade hailing an "all-conquering" Russia just as Kremlin-backed media erupted in fury over Britain deploying hundreds of troops for major NATO readiness drills.
Addressing the plenary session of the Peoples of Russia International Week in Moscow to mark National Unity Day, the Russian President leaned heavily into wartime bravado. In an angry address aimed at shoring up domestic support, he insisted that his forces and population are "standing shoulder to shoulder" and remain certain to achieve the Kremlin's military goals, more than five years into a 72-hour invasion of Ukraine.
Putin's Nationalist Speech
The rambling speech traced Russia's lineage back to the 1612 expulsion of foreign forces during the Time of Troubles, with Putin seeking to project an image of "unshakeable strength" despite the grinding war in Ukraine.
During his impassioned address in Moscow, the Russian leader delivered a string of pointed remarks emphasising Russia's military chronicle and supposedly unbreakable resolve: "The powerful, all-conquering spirit of unity of the peoples of Russia has been passed down from generation to generation. We are still standing shoulder to shoulder and we are confident that we will achieve our goals."
"Historically, Russia has developed through the interaction of peoples and ethnic groups, languages and customs. We have not just rallied over the centuries and epochs. It is no exaggeration to say that our cultures have literally grown into each other. This kinship, the soul of the people, is reflected in our thousand-year-old history, in the military chronicle of the Fatherland, and in its great achievements. We must constantly strengthen it, protect the multinational harmony which is our common heritage."
Kremlin Fury Over Exercise Koalicja
His public outburst coincided with palpable panic in Moscow over Exercise Koalicja, a massive multinational military drill set to take place in Poland from November 9 to 22.
Leading Russian news outlet and Kremlin mouthpiece Moskovskij Komsomolets branded the UK and French-led exercise a "rehearsal for foreign intervention" into Ukraine. Commentator Dmitry Popov noted with alarm that troops from 11 NATO countries - including the UK, France, Germany, Poland, and Turkey - are practising for a deployment onto Ukrainian soil at the exact moment trilateral talks involving Russia, Ukraine, and the US are scheduled to get underway in Abu Dhabi.
UK Deployment Details
Around 300 British soldiers from the Army's Seven Brigade - famously known as the "Desert Rats" - have been deployed for the high-stakes readiness drills alongside RAF Typhoon fighter jets and a Voyager refuelling aircraft. The 2,800-strong force from the Multinational Force-Ukraine (MNF-U) is rehearsing critical logistical movements, commercial airspace security, and Black Sea mine clearance.
UK defence chiefs have stressed that the exercises are vital practical preparations to ensure the "Coalition of the Willing" can immediately enforce post-conflict security guarantees once hostilities cease.
