Moscow: President Vladimir Putin said Wednesday Russia was fighting for its “historical” lands in Ukraine, speaking at a state-organised patriotic rally in Moscow in support of the Ukraine offensive. “I just heard from the top military leadership of the country that a battle is ongoing right now, for our historical lands, for our people,” Putin said. In a short address to the tens of thousands gathered at Moscow’s main Luzhniki stadium, Putin also praised Russian servicemen in Ukraine who are “fighting heroically, courageously, bravely: we are proud of them”. The audience, waving Russian flags, braved cold winter temperatures of -15...