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Russian President Vladimir Putin has told senior politicians that if the West wanted to challenge Russia in combat, they were welcome to try.
"Today we hear that they want to defeat us on the battlefield. What can you say here? Let them try," Putin said during a televised address.
The Russian president also accused the West of attempting to impose "its new world order" with Putin saying "these attempts are doomed to failure," according to Russian media agency Interfax.
Putin went on to say that Russia’s "special operation" — Moscow’s terms for its invasion of Ukraine — was the beginning of a shift towards a "multi-polar world."
Putin also mentioned peace negotiations but said they would be harder to come by the longer conflict continued.
"Everyone should know that, by and large, we haven't started anything yet in earnest," he added. "At the same time, we don't reject peace talks. But those who reject them should know that the further it goes, the harder it will be for them to negotiate with us."
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