Russian troops are “acting heroically,” and “the capabilities of the Russian Armed Forces are growing,” Putin said during his annual Direct Line call-in show on December 19. “The situation is changing dramatically, progress is being made along the entire front line, and the troops are reclaiming territory by the square kilometer each day.” Behind him, two people hold a copy of the banner of Russia’s 155th Guards Naval Infantry Brigade, currently deployed in the Kursk region.