Russian President Vladimir Putin, who believed Ukraine would surrender just days after the start of the so-called “special military operation” on February 24, admitted yesterday that it may take some time to see results. “This is a long process,” he said at a live televised meeting of the Civil Society and Human Rights Council. Putin also made it clear that Russia can use nuclear weapons, but only “in response” to a similar attack and will never “be the first to use them”.
More than nine months after the Russian invasion, which has failed to achieve its goal of overthrowing the government in Kiev, Putin assured that significant gains have already been made – speaking in particular of the (internationally unrecognised) annexation of the Ukrainian regions of Donetsk, Lugansk, Kherson and Zaporizhia. However, the Russian forces do not control these areas, as they were even forced to retreat in recent months due to the Ukrainian counter-attack. This week three Russian bases – some 600 kilometers from the border with Ukraine – were also hit by explosions, with Moscow claiming they were drone strikes from Kiev.
Despite the setbacks, the president said he is not planning any new reservist mobilizations to bolster Russia’s armed forces. Putin claims that of the 300,000 fighters deployed, 150,000 are in Ukraine – 77,000 of them in combat units. The situation is most active in the Donetsk region, where Moscow forces have been seeking control of the city of Bakhmut for months. In the same region, but in the town of Kurakhove, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said yesterday that a Russian attack has caused the deaths of six civilians. “A market, a bus station, gas stations and residential buildings came under fire,” he said on social media.
However, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg warned that Russia is trying to “freeze” the fighting in order to gain momentum and resume the attack next year. “What we’re seeing now is that Russia is actually trying to freeze this war, at least for a short period of time, so that its forces can regroup, repair, recover and then try to launch a bigger offensive next spring.” said at a Financial Times event.
Stoltenberg urged allies to continue the “unprecedented” shipment of weapons to Ukraine despite concerns about depleted supplies. The secretary-general also claimed that the conditions for peace negotiations have not yet been met. “The conditions are not in place because Russia has shown no signs of participating in negotiations that respect Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.” he said, reiterating that it is up to Kiev to decide when that door will be opened. “Most wars, and probably this one, end up at the negotiating table.”
However, Belarus (Moscow’s ally) announced plans to move military equipment and troops in what it said was a “counter-terrorism exercise”, warning that civilian movement will be restricted in some areas. It is feared that the Russians are planning a new attack on Ukraine from the country. Belarusian president Alexander Lukashenko has indicated in the past that he will not go to war against the Ukrainians, but that he has deployed troops alongside the Russians.
More European sanctions
The European Commission yesterday proposed the ninth package of sanctions against Russia, this time targeting the armed forces, several officials and three banks, in addition to shutting down four more channels of Russia’s “propaganda machine”. He also wants to prevent the supply of drone engines not only to Russia, but also to Iran – which sells its unmanned aerial vehicles to Moscow.
“Russia continues to bring death and devastation to Ukraine. It deliberately attacks civilian targets and infrastructure,” said Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, making it clear that Brussels “will make Russia pay for its cruelty”. Since the invasion, the European Union has imposed eight packages of sanctions and it is becoming increasingly difficult to find new ways to attack Moscow. Furthermore, sanctions packages must be approved unanimously and Hungary is at odds with Brussels over frozen European funds.
Source: DN
