Russia intends to occupy the entire area of Ukraine east of the Dnieper River and advance towards Odesa and Mykolaiv, as part of a broader plan to completely isolate Ukraine from the Black Sea, claims Pavlo Palisa, deputy chief of staff to President Volodymyr Zelensky.
„Unfortunately, I am not talking about peace. They are preparing for war,” Palisa warned during a press briefing at the Ukrainian embassy in Washington, cited by Politico.
What Moscow aims for:
According to Ukraine's military intelligence service (HUR), Russia aims to:
- Take full control of the Donetsk and Luhansk regions by autumn;
- Create a buffer zone on the northern border with Ukraine;
- Advance into southern Ukraine in the second phase, with the goal of cutting off the country's access to the Black Sea.
Here is the map of today's operations:
Russia's plans come amid the ongoing offensive in eastern and northern Ukraine, as well as parallel to failed diplomatic efforts, writes Kyiv Independent.
The so-called "peace memorandum" of Russia
At the negotiations on June 2 in Istanbul, Russia presented a "peace memorandum" that includes:
- Kyiv's recognition of Russia's annexation of the four Ukrainian regions: Kherson, Donetsk, Zaporizhzhia, and Luhansk;
- Demobilization of Ukrainian forces;
- Official renunciation of any ambition to join NATO.
In return, the Ukrainian delegation demanded:
- A complete prisoner exchange;
- Return of children abducted by Russia;
- Release of illegally detained civilians;
- A 30-day ceasefire, supported by the West – a proposal rejected by Moscow.
The situation on the front line
The Ukrainian military command warns that Russia is preparing a major summer offensive in the Donetsk region. Although Russian troops are suffering heavy losses, they are advancing through massive wave attacks, gaining only tens of meters per day.
According to the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) in the United States, Russia currently controls approximately 20% of Ukrainian territory.