Russian President Vladimir Putin said Thursday that Russia will bolster its air defense capabilities in response to recent Ukrainian drone attacks that have penetrated deep into Russian territory.

Speaking during a meeting with heads of international news agencies on the sidelines of the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum, Putin acknowledged that some Ukrainian drones had managed to evade Russia's air defense systems.

"To our regret, some of them break through," Putin said, referring to the attacks on his hometown of St. Petersburg. He added that Russia's air defense network would be strengthened to better counter such threats.

The remarks came a day after a Ukrainian drone strike set fire to an oil terminal in St. Petersburg and also targeted a nearby naval facility.

Putin also reiterated Moscow's readiness to seek a compromise on Ukraine based on understandings reached during his recent summit with US President Donald Trump in Anchorage, Alaska. He said Ukraine would need to accept those terms for any agreement to be reached.

The Russian leader rejected suggestions that European Union countries could serve as mediators in peace negotiations, arguing that they could not be considered neutral parties.

"Mediation assumes neutrality. Where is the neutrality here?" Putin said, adding that Russia could not place its trust in countries that had long advocated what he described as a strategic defeat of Russia.

Commenting on Russia's use of the Oreshnik intermediate-range ballistic missile, Putin said it had been launched against targets that allowed Russian forces to assess its capabilities and precision before any broader deployment.

He also reaffirmed Moscow's objective of gaining full control over Ukraine's eastern Donetsk region, noting that Kyiv still controls about 15 percent of the territory.

According to Putin, Russian forces are continuing to advance along the entire front line, expressing confidence that what he described as the patriotism and determination of the Russian people would help achieve Russia's objectives in Ukraine.