Putin says Russian forces acting bravely and efficiently in Ukraine

Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Tuesday that Russian forces carrying out Moscow's military campaign in Ukraine were acting bravely and efficiently and using the most modern weapons, TASS news agency reported.

Russia sent tens of thousands of troops into Ukraine on Feb. 24 in what it called a special operation to degrade its southern neighbour's military capabilities and root out people it called dangerous nationalists.

Ukrainian forces have mounted stiff resistance and the West has imposed sweeping sanctions on Russia in an effort to force it to withdraw its forces.