Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Wednesday that what he calls Russia's "special military operation" in Ukraine could be a "long process".
Putin was speaking via video link to a meeting of his Human Rights Council, where he also railed against the West and denied rumours that Moscow was planning a second round of mobilisation for the conflict.
Putin said of the more than 300,000 Russian reservists who were drafted in what Moscow called a "partial mobilisation" in September and October, 150,000 were deployed in the zone of what Moscow calls its "special military operation" in Ukraine.
Of those, 77,000 were in combat units and the remainder performing defensive functions, he said.
Putin added that Russia would fight to defend its interests using all available means.
He complained that Western rights organisations viewed Russia as "a second-class country that has no right to exist at all".
"This is what we are dealing with," Putin said. "There can be only one answer from our side - a consistent struggle for our national interests. We will do just that. And let no one count on anything else."
He continued: "Yes, we will do this by various ways and means. First of all, of course, we will focus on peaceful means, but if nothing else remains, we will defend ourselves with all the means at our disposal."
"We did not start this war, it was started after the state coup in 2014," he said.
"We had no chance but to settle the situation in Ukraine," he added.
"But it's up to new leaders of Ukraine now."
Putin also accused Poland of wanting to seize territories in Western Ukraine, claiming the only guarantor of Ukraine's territorial integrity could be Russia.
Putin was speaking in the 10th month of the Ukraine war, responding to comments by a member of the rights council who said Ukrainian forces were shelling residential areas of the Russian-controlled Donetsk region.
Ukraine has suffered heavy civilian casualties throughout the war. Russia denies targeting civilians.
Putin also said that the nuclear threat is also on the rise, adding that Russia is considering nuclear weapons as a response to an attack.
Russia does not yet have tactical nuclear weapons in other countries unlike the United States, Putin said, adding that Russia will defend its allies with all available means.
"We have the most advanced weapons, but we do not want to wave them around and consider them as deterrents."
