 Putin says the Ukrainian war was more challenging than expected. President Vladimir Putin has acknowledged that Russia's war in Ukraine is more difficult and Ukrainians are tougher than he had been told, New York Times reported on Sunday. Putin made his remarks during the meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett in March, according to New York Times. The newspaper claims that during his personal meetings in the very first days of the war, Putin admitted that the war did not go as planned. He also acknowledged that the military operation in the Ukrainian territories was difficult. It will be much more difficult than we thought, but the war is on the territory, not ours. We are a large country, we have patience," the New York Times quoted Putin as saying. The paper also claims that one of the NATO members warned its allies that Putin was ready for the deaths of 300,000 Russian soldiers and is willing to make countless sacrifices if necessary. No matter how many Russian soldiers die, Russia will not surrender. Last month, in one of the rare meetings with U.S. representatives, the Russians asked this to be delivered to Biden, the New York Times notes.