Military historian Phillips O’Brien believes Russia will soon declare a ceasefire. The Scotsman, who is partly reminiscent of the tank war in the First World War, in which the offensives progressed very slowly due to the fighting between the Russian and Ukrainian armies, believes that the Kremlin now wants to occupy as many areas in eastern Ukraine as possible. President Vladimir Putin will then announce a “victory in Donbass”, the 58-year-old predicted in an interview with the Swiss “Sonntagszeitung”.
In general, it can be seen that the combat activity of the Ukraine is declining and the losses on the Russian side no longer allow for a long war. The Scot’s thesis: If sufficient territory has been gained in the east from Moscow’s point of view, the fighting could end, peace negotiations resume, and possibly re-imposition of sanctions by the West.
However, the Kiev leadership refuses even remotely to accept any loss of territory after the invasion on February 24 this year. So a ceasefire would probably not be accepted by President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and his government. “The Ukrainians would lose 20 percent of their land,” O’Brien said.
Russian passports handed out: fear of annexation
Nearly 60 percent of the region of southeastern Ukraine has been occupied by Moscow troops since the Russian invasion on Feb. 24, military governor of the Zaporizhzhya region, Olexander Staruch, said on Sunday during talks with President Zelensky in the city of Zaporizhzhya. The Ukrainian head of state has recently repeatedly demanded heavy weapons from the West, not only to stop the Russian advance, but also to recapture the occupied territories. Moscow had also started handing out Russian passports in the Zaporizhzhya region, much to the chagrin of the Ukrainian leadership.
The Ukrainian army has recaptured half of the disputed city of Sievarodonetsk in the east of the country, according to the regional administration. The armed forces had “cleaned” half of the industrial city of Russian troops,” Ukrainian governor of the Luhansk region, Serhiy Gajdaj, said in internet reports on Sunday. However, a larger Russian counter-attack is expected in the coming days after being pushed by a Russian offensive on had been driven back from the city, Ukrainian troops there had been steadily gaining ground in recent weeks.
The goal of Moscow
Sieverodonetsk is the last major city in the Luhansk region that Russia has not yet conquered. The stated goal of the Russian armed forces is to take over the entire Donbass region, which includes the Donetsk region. Parts of Donbass have been controlled by pro-Russian separatists since 2014.
Source: Krone
I’m Wayne Wickman, a professional journalist and author for Today Times Live. My specialty is covering global news and current events, offering readers a unique perspective on the world’s most pressing issues. I’m passionate about storytelling and helping people stay informed on the goings-on of our planet.
