Special Operation in Ukraine Proceeds According to Plan – Nebenzya

Russia's post-presidency at the UN noted that the Russian military "strike only at military targets, and this takes time"

Russia's Permanent Representative to the UN Vasily Nebenzya Press Service of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation

Russia's Permanent Representative to the UN Vasily Nebenzya

© Press Service of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation

UNITED NATIONS, June 10. /TASS/. The Russian special military operation in Ukraine is proceeding as scheduled, Russian Permanent Representative to the UN Vasily Nebenzya said in an interview for BBC aired on Thursday.

I think it [the special operation] is progressing. Nobody promised to deliver it in three or seven days. Some pundits are saying now: 'the Russian special military operation now stalled, and is not progressing at the pace that was initially envisaged.' But the progress is being made. That's clear," the Russian diplomat said.

"One of the reasons of so the so-called slow pace is that we are not targeting civilian infrastructure," he continued, adding that the Russian forces are "only hitting military targets and that takes time."

"We're not doing carpet bombing or anything else like that. But the progress is there, that's for sure," Nebenzya said.

In his words, the operation "is developing according to the military plans that were initially envisaged."

"Of course [the operation proceeds] with minor tactical changes, because you cannot predict whatever happens on the frontline, but the plan is moving. I don't think that anybody in the Russian leadership was ever announcing the plans to take Kiev and install what you call a puppet government," he said.

West loses to Russia strategically, envoy to UN says

Vasily Nebenzya added that West perhaps made some tactical gains

UNITED NATIONS, June 9. /TASS/. The West is losing to Russia from a strategic standpoint, and it lost its leverage on Moscow after imposing sanctions, Russian Permanent Representative to the UN Vasily Nebenzya said in an interview for BBC published Thursday.

"I do not think that assessment is right," Nebenzya said, commenting on the host’s statement that Russia has found itself in isolation. "I’m not sure that your attempts to isolate Russia succeeded. I think that the West perhaps made some tactical gains but it is losing strategically."

"One thing that is clear; outcome of those sanctions that the West introduced that you lost practically any leverage on Russia at all," the diplomat underscored.

On February 24, Russian President Vladimir Putin announced a special military operation in response to the aid request from Donbass republics. After that, the US, the EU, the UK and a number of other states imposed sanctions against Russian citizens and companies.