Welcome to Hard Talk on the BBC World Service with me, Stephen Sacker. My guest today is a key defender and

explainer of Vladimir Putin's actions on the world stage. For five years, Vasily Nebenza has been

Russia's ambassador at the UN in New York. For the past three and a half months, his task has been to

justify Mr Putin's military invasion of neighbouring Ukraine.

His loyalty to his ultimate boss has never wavered.

On the eve of the invasion, he assured the world it wasn't going to happen.

He then insisted it was a necessary response to provocations from Kiev's fascist regime. He dismisses all evidence of war crimes

as fake news and accuses Ukraine of bombing its own cities. At UN headquarters and in the wider

world, people have judged for themselves the credibility of these claims. The most pressing question

for Mr Putin and his associates now is where they go

from here. The conflict in the east has become a brutal war of attrition. Russian losses are

mounting. International sanctions are squeezing the Russian economy and Ukrainian defiance is being

backed by Western weapon supplies. NATO expansions also in the offing. And Russia faces long-term

diplomatic isolation from much of the developed world. Is this where Russia wants to be? Well,

Ambassador Vaseline Benza joins me now from UN headquarters in New York. Ambassador, welcome to hard talk.

Good afternoon.

London time, Mr. Saker.

It's a pleasure to have you on the show, Ambassador.

Let me ask you this.

After more than 100 days, would you say that Russia's invasion of Ukraine is going to plan?

Well, I think it is progressing.

Nobody promised to deliver it in three or seven days.

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