The comments come ahead of the third anniversary of Russia's offensive in Ukraine, which sparked Europe's deadliest armed conflict since World War II.

"Today, at the risk of their lives and with courage, they are resolutely defending their homeland, national interests and the future of Russia," Putin said in a video released by the Kremlin on Russia's Defenders of the Fatherland Day.

"We will continue to improve the combat capabilities of the army and navy, their combat capability as a key component of Russia's security and a guarantee of its present and future sovereignty," he added.

Russia has seen an accelerated rapprochement with the United States under President Donald Trump, with whom Putin spoke by phone for an hour and a half on January 12.

Since then, the first Russian-U.S. talks were held in Saudi Arabia, with the Kremlin saying it wanted to resume dialogue with Washington "on all parameters."

On February 23, Putin said he wanted to provide his armed forces with "new, modern models" of weapons and equipment.

In November 2024, his troops fired a previously unknown experimental hypersonic missile called the Oreshnik against Ukraine. | BGNES