Vladimir Putin gives an ominous warning 4 months after the invasion of Ukraine: "I haven't started anything seriously yet"

Russia's invasion of Ukraine began on February 24, but President Vladimir Putin said it hadn't started "for good".

What happened: Putin told Russian lawmakers, "Everyone should know that, overall, we haven't started anything in earnest yet," said reported the New York Post.

The Russian leader's comments came as Russian advances in eastern Ukraine appear to be slowing, the report said.

The Washington, D.C.-based Institute for the Study of War says Russia failed to make territorial advances in Ukraine on Wednesday - the first time in 133 days that she has failed to gain any ground.

However, the president also said that Russia does not reject the peace talks.

"But those who reject them should know that the further it goes, the harder it will be for them to negotiate with us," Putin said, according to the Post.

Why it matters: Institute analysts believe Russia is taking an 'operational pause' on major moves and national forces will be limited to small-scale offensive actions .

Advisor to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy Mykhailo Podolyak recently listed the terms of a ceasefire on Twitter. He called for the return of Ukrainian citizens, the extradition of war criminals and reparations, among other measures

Even so, a ceasefire could actually complicate things for Zelensky and Ukraine and put the latter in a difficult spot, an analyst says.

Benzinga's view: Putin's comments come at a time when the Russian military controls an entire province in Ukraine. The Russian president now wants his top generals to focus on Ukraine's Luhansk region, in line with what he called an "approved plan" earlier.

Read more: Donald Trump could be subpoenaed with associates for interference in the 2020 Election: Fulton County DA

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