Putin says war boosted military, economy

Regrets not invading Ukraine earlier; denies ouster of Assad hurt his image; year-end conference lasts 4.5 hours

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PRESIDENT Vladimir Putin boasted that his military operation in Ukraine has strengthened Russia and denied that the ouster of key ally Bashar Assad in Syria had hurt Moscow's prestige, as he held his annual news conference and call-in show on Thursday.

He used the tightly choreographed event, which lasted for about 4 1/2 hours, to reinforce his authority and demonstrate a sweeping command of everything from consumer prices to military hardware.

He claimed that sending troops into Ukraine in 2022 has boosted Russia's military and economic power.

He also said that if he could go back in time, he "would have thought that such a decision should have been made earlier," and Russia should have "prepared for it in advance and more thoroughly."