EPACopyright: EPA
Talks with Ukraine have reached a dead end - Putin
More now on Vladimir Putin's latest comments about the war.
The Russian president said talks with Ukraine had derailed because the Ukrainian side had made "fake claims" about war crimes and extra demands for security guarantees.
"We have again returned to a dead-end situation for us," he said.
He added that Russia would continue its operation to defend the Russian speakers of eastern Ukraine.
However, Ukrainian presidential adviser Mykhailo Podolyak told Reuters that though negotiations were hard, they were continuing.
Putin's remarks are his first in public since Russian troops withdrew from northern areas of Ukraine around the capital Kyiv.
How could the war unfold in the east?
The Russian president said talks with Ukraine had derailed because the Ukrainian side had made "fake claims" about war crimes and extra demands for security guarantees.
"We have again returned to a dead-end situation for us," he said.
He added that Russia would continue its operation to defend the Russian speakers of eastern Ukraine.
However, Ukrainian presidential adviser Mykhailo Podolyak told Reuters that though negotiations were hard, they were continuing.
Putin's remarks are his first in public since Russian troops withdrew from northern areas of Ukraine around the capital Kyiv.
How could the war unfold in the east?
Western officials and military analysts say they expect an intense Russian offensive in eastern Ukraine in coming weeksImage caption: Western officials and military analysts say they expect an intense Russian offensive in eastern Ukraine in coming weeks
With an expected renewed Russian offensive in the eastern region of Donbas, we've been speaking to Russian security policy expert Dr Aglaya Snetkov about how the conflict could unfold there.
What will Russia's strategy be?
"We are looking at a slow war of attrition," says Snetkov.
"The Russians will be focused on grinding down Ukrainian positions and infrastructure."
She says Putin will attack from the north and from Mariupol, in the south - piling on pressure to extract concessions.
What will the fighting look like?
Snetkov believes Russia may target more railway infrastructure but fears there will be more civilian casualties too.
"Whether they're planning to take over areas in the east by bombing them out of existence, at this stage we don't know."
She says it will take a while longer for heavy military equipment to arrive in Donbas, especially if it's travelling from Belarus or Russia.
How else could things change?
Meanwhile, she says Russia's appointment of General Alexander Dvornikov to oversee the invasion could make the Russian operational strategy more coordinated - with fewer generals sent to the front line.
"What's been surprising until now is that the Russians have had no chief of command, or at least we haven't known who it was."
Ukraine does not need to fight Putin's war of attrition.
ReplyDeleteAsymmetric warfare - attacking Russian supply lines , hitting their troops behind lines - Ukrainians are fighting on their own soil.
It's a waste of time to negotiate with an intermediary team with zilch decisive authority on any firm peace commitments.
ReplyDeleteThe Russko bear SHOULD have bounced Kyiv, Ukraine relentlessly while that comedian president was shitting in his pants hiding inside an underground shelter in Poland. That would have quickly overrun the Ukrainian resistances before the sleeping demoNcratic West were dragging their military offerings to support Ukraine. Unfortunately, that long historical slavic fraternity tie had softened the initial lightening impacts of the Putin's special military operation. The slavic kindred compassions had worn out that first strike Russian advantages.
This has allowed the one that's pulling the Ukrainian strings, who is residing far far away across the Atlantic ocean, to rethink his cheats!
At this moment, this mfering puppeteer is planning a long Europe war to entice more inward flowing funds into US to reduce the rising inflationary pressure. The humongous sales of military HW have also filled the coffers of the arm manufacturers very happy - indirectly strengthen their political lobbying funds for their choice candidates.
The deaths & sufferings in Europe r so essential to this plan that the calls of humanitarianism ring so so hollow. Yet there r equally f*cked acolytes chanting his songs in unison w/o a thoughts!