Russia's operation 'going according to plan' - Putin

Russia's invasion of Ukraine - is "going according to plan"

Russian President Vladimir Putin has said his "special military operation" - otherwise known as Russia's invasion of Ukraine - is "going according to plan".

Qazet.az reports that his claim comes despite many analysts suggesting the invasion has so far not gone as well as planned.

In a televised speech, he accused Ukrainian forces of taking "thousands of foreign citizens hostage" and using civilians as "human shields" - he provided no evidence for these claims.

He added that Russians and Ukrainians were "one people" and said he would "destroy this 'anti-Russia' created by the West".