(Dan Tri) – Experts from a research institute in the UK say that Russia is aiming to win in Ukraine by 2026 with a 3-step strategy.
A Russian military vehicle in the Zaporizhia region, southern Ukraine (Photo: TASS).
In a recently published report, the British Royal United Services Institute (RUSI) said that Russia believes that it will win the conflict in Ukraine.
According to RUSI, Russia’s plan to win in Ukraine seems to consist of three stages.
`The first stage requires continued pressure along the front line to deplete the ammunition and manpower of the Ukrainian army,` the RUSI report stated.
In addition, Moscow sought to break the resolve of Ukraine’s allies to continue sending aid and military support.
RUSI said Moscow will likely use advances on this battlefield as `leverage` against Kiev, forcing Ukraine to surrender under Russia’s conditions in the third stage.
`The planning framework for implementing these goals, which are creating the basis for the production of Russia’s forces and industrial output, is that (Moscow) must win in Ukraine by 2026,` RUSI analyzed.
Peace talks between Russia and Ukraine have been stalled since the end of March 2022.
Since then, the administration of Russian President Vladimir Putin has repeatedly stated that it is always open to negotiations with Ukraine, but said that Kiev was not in good faith when President Volodymyr Zelensky issued a decree banning negotiations with Moscow.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov yesterday emphasized that `the ball is in Ukraine and the West’s court`.
`Once again I want to mention Mr. Zelensky’s decree banning negotiations with President Putin’s government. Our president has repeatedly emphasized that the West needs to force Mr. Zelensky to cancel the decree and issue a statement.
According to Moscow’s statements, to resume negotiations, Kiev must first invalidate Mr. Zelensky’s decree.
In addition, Moscow stated clearly that Kiev must accept `new, albeit painful, realities`, in other words, must recognize Russia’s control over the Crimean peninsula and newly annexed regions including Lugansk, Donetsk, Kherson,
Meanwhile, Ukraine announced that any peace agreement must nullify the annexation of Crimea and four other provinces to Russia.