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Saying 'All of Ukraine Is Ours,' Putin Does Not Rule Out Taking City of Sumy

President Vladimir Putin said Friday he did not "rule out" his forces taking control of Ukraine's northeastern city of Sumy as part of efforts to create a buffer zone along the border.

"We have no objective to take Sumy, but in principle I do not rule it out... They pose a constant threat to us, constantly shelling the border areas," Putin told Russia's flagship economic forum in St. Petersburg.

Sumy is around 30 kilometers (18 miles) from the Russian border and has been heavily targeted since Russia launched its invasion in February 2022.

In a string of hawkish remarks, Putin appeared to repeat his denial of Ukrainian statehood.

"I consider Russians and Ukrainians to be one people. In that sense, all of Ukraine is ours," he said.

"There is a saying: wherever a Russian soldier sets foot, that is ours."

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The comments raise fresh doubt over the prospect of peace talks between Moscow and Kyiv.

Russia has for months been rejecting calls for an unconditional ceasefire, and has demanded Ukraine give up even more territory as a precondition.

Ukraine launched a counter-attack into Russia's western Kursk region last August from its northeastern Sumy region.

Kyiv's troops captured dozens of border settlements, which they held for months, before being pushed out by Russia's forces — with the help of thousands of North Korean soldiers — earlier this year.

Putin has since ordered his troops to create what he called a "buffer zone" along the Russian border inside Ukrainian territory.

Russia's army has taken a number of border settlements in the Sumy region in recent weeks.

Putin said Friday his troops were up to 12 kilometers inside Ukrainian territory in the region, which is not one of the five Ukrainian regions that Moscow claims to have formally annexed.

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‘Sitaare Zameen Par’ Surprises the Box Office with a Strong Opening Day: ₹10.70 Cr on Day 1

Mumbai, India – June 21, 2025:
In a stunning turn of events, Aamir Khan’s latest release Sitaare Zameen Par has exceeded all pre-release projections and industry expectations, recording an impressive ₹10.70 crore on its opening day at the Indian box office.

Despite tackling a niche subject with limited commercial appeal — much like Aamir’s critically acclaimed Taare Zameen Par — the film has defied the skeptics with a solid debut, driven primarily by powerful word-of-mouth.

While the morning and early afternoon shows on Friday started off slow, the scenario changed dramatically after 4 PM. Positive audience feedback led to a sharp increase in footfalls, especially in urban multiplexes, with evening and night shows witnessing near-full occupancy in several major centers.

However, the performance in non-metro and mass belt areas remained moderate to below average. Analysts believe that the emotional depth and sensitive subject matter of the film appeal more to urban and family audiences.

Trade experts are optimistic about the film’s trajectory. With such a positive response from moviegoers, Sitaare Zameen Par is expected to see significant growth over the weekend. If current trends hold, the film is poised for a super-strong weekend collection.

While it may not have matched the opening-day benchmarks set by Aamir Khan’s pre-pandemic blockbusters like PK or Dangal, the film’s performance is impressive given its genre and theme.

Day 1 Box Office Report:

Friday (Day 1) – ₹10.70 crore nett

Territory: India

Source: Official Box Office Data

With momentum on its side and strong word-of-mouth serving as its biggest marketing tool, all eyes are now on Sitaare Zameen Par as it heads into the crucial Saturday and Sunday box office tests.

Sitaare Zameen Par Twitter Review: Is Aamir Khan Starrer Worth Watching? Tweets To Read Before Buying Tickets

Sitaare Zameen Par Twitter Review: Despite not being a typical high-octane actioner or a big-ticket film, Aamir Khan-starrer 'Sitaare Zameen Par' has successfully generated a massive buzz around the movie. Helmed by R.S. Prasanna, the Hindi-language sports social comedy-drama has finally hit the big screens today (Friday, June 20, 2025). Co-starring Genelia Deshmukh, Sitaare Zameen Par (SZP) features 10 specially-abled children, many of them are making their debut with this film, playing the main characters.