Russia occupies a significant part of the eastern areas Ukraine. The latest reports from the Institute for War Studies (ISW) do not fill the Ukrainian side with optimism.
Rumors of readiness Vladimir Putin for peace talks and freezing the conflict may turn out to be wishful thinking. “The Kremlin intends to take over more territory in Ukrainethan it currently occupies,” write analysts, pointing to probable continuation of the war.
War in Ukraine. ISW: The Kremlin does not want compromises
According to specialists from ISW Moscow I don't want to compromiseregardless of who the mediator would be. Director of the Foreign Intelligence Service Russia Sergei Naryshkin said on Tuesday that his country does not agree to the war freeze and designation demilitarized zone.
The Kremlin wants to “eliminate the reasons” why full-scale aggression occurred in February 2022. The goal is total surrender Ukrainian state.
What is at stake is Kiev's formal acceptance of the takeover by Moscow four border regionswhere the aggressor organized a propaganda “referendum” in September 2022. These are the following oblasts: Luhansk, Donetsk, Zaporizhia and Kherson.
Currently, Russia controls almost the entire Luhansk Oblast (99 percent of the area) and gains more territories in the Donetsk Oblast (66% of the lands occupied by Russian forces).
Given the announcement of the desire to take control of the remaining two regions, it is possible to launch another offensive. The Kremlin may send reinforcements to the front North Korean soldiers.
Donbass. The Russians want to surround a key region
Meanwhile, it may be of key importance for the enemy's final capture of Donbas neighboring Dnipropetrovsk Oblast.
“The Russian military command is probably planning how to advance to the southeasternmost part of the Dnipropetrovsk Oblast,” reads the ISW analysis.
Taking control of this area would open the way to surrounding the Ukrainian forces in the Donetsk region.