President Vladimir Putin has marked Russia’s national day by appealing to Russians’ patriotic pride, saying it is a “difficult time” for the country.
However, speaking at a lavish award-giving ceremony in the Kremlin, Mr Putin made no direct comment on the latest developments in Ukraine, where Kyiv’s forces have launched a long-awaited counteroffensive and have retaken several villages in the eastern Donetsk region over the past few days.
