Russia is now at "war" with Ukraine because of Western interference in what Moscow previously called a "special military operation," Kremlin spokesman Dmitri Peskov told the Argumenty i Fakty media outlet, which is owned by the Moscow municipal government.
"We are at war. Indeed, it started as a special military operation but as soon as a clique was formed and the collective West joined in on Ukraine's side, it turned into war for us," Peskov was quoted as saying.
"I am convinced of that. Everyone should understand this to summon up inner strength."
Since launching its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, the Kremlin has gone to great lengths to avoid calling the conflict a war, instead referring to it as a "special military operation."
The Kremlin has gone as far as pushing new laws through the State Duma that made referring to the conflict as a "war" illegal, with many people fined and jailed for "discrediting" the Russian forces and spreading "false" information by using the word.
In hawkish comments Peskov often avoids, the Kremlin spokesman added that Russia must fully "liberate" its "new regions" -- four regions in Ukraine it illegally annexed during the war -- "to protect the people in these regions and liberate the territory of these regions."
Moscow baselessly claims that the regions are now part of Russia, but it does not control them in full.
Peskov's comments come after President Vladimir Putin easily won an election last weekend that independent observers said was neither free nor fair.
The vote was the first major election to take place in Russia since Putin launched his full-scale invasion.
Many experts say Putin warded off even the faintest of challengers to ensure a large margin of victory that he can point to as evidence that Russians back the war in Ukraine and his handling of it.
Official results gave Putin 87.3 percent of the ballots.