President Vladimir Putin said on Monday that the large number of men signing up for the Russian military voluntarily was turning the tide of the Ukraine war in Moscow’s favor and said he hoped his army would keep advancing.Putin, who said Russian forces had pushed the Ukrainian army out of nearly 200 settlements this year and held the initiative along the entire frontline, made the comments in a speech at the Defense Ministry at a time when his army is advancing at the fastest pace since 2022, according to open source maps.For the latest updates on the Russia-Ukraine war, visit our dedicated page.“I would like to point out at once that the past year was a landmark year in achieving the goals of the special military operation [in Ukraine],” Putin told top generals.“Russian troops have a firm grip on the strategic initiative along the entire line of contact. This year alone, 189 population centers have been liberated,” he said.He said roughly 430,000 Russians had signed army contracts