The superior military command would have convinced the President of Russia, Vladimir Putin, that the Russian army can occupy the entire Donbas by autumn, writes Financial Times, citing sources.
According to the publication, after taking control over Donbas, Putin intends to toughen his demands for a ceasefire and could expand territorial claims.
The deputy head of Ukraine’s military intelligence service, Vadim Skibitski, told the Financial Times that a success in Donbas would allow the Kremlin to make new claims. According to him, Putin could subsequently demand the surrender of the Herson and Zaporozhye regions, which Russia declared annexed in 2022, although a large part of them remain under Ukrainian control.
FT sources maintain that Putin is now focusing on the occupation of Donbas, even though he previously considered freezing the conflict on the current frontline.
“I tried to persuade him to end everything on the current front line. But he continues to say: ‘No, I cannot accept that'”, one of the interlocutors told FT.
According to the same source, the Herson and Zaporozhye regions do not have the same “symbolic value” for Putin as Crimea and Donbas, but they remain military objectives of Russia.
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