Moscow's top military commander confirms persistence of offensive operations
In a significant development, Russian Chief of Staff Valery Gerasimov has announced a continuation of the Russian invasion of Ukraine with new goals for an autumn offensive. This announcement comes amidst ongoing conflict and negotiations aimed at achieving a ceasefire.
Gerasimov's statement, however, did not mention any specific ceasefire agreement being proposed or rejected. The figures provided by him regarding the control of Ukrainian territory by Russian forces are not independently verifiable. According to Gerasimov, Russian forces currently control around 99.7% of the Ukrainian territory in Luhansk, 79% in Donetsk, 76% in Kherson, and 74% in Zaporizhzhia.
These claims have been met with rejection by Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky. Zelensky emphasised the importance of the cities of Sloviansk and Kramatorsk, currently held by Ukraine, as important strongholds of defense.
The negotiations about Ukraine, which took place in Belarus, involved representatives from Ukraine and Russia. The Ukrainian delegation was led by key members such as Defense Minister Oleksij Resnikow, Dawyd Arachamija, and the advisor Mychajlo Podoljak. On the opposing side, the Russian delegation was led by Wladimir Medinski.
However, Russia is said to reject representatives from NATO countries in these negotiations. Furthermore, Moscow has been accused by Europeans of using negotiations and setting new deadlines as a stalling tactic. The Russian delegate, Kirill Dmitriev, accuses Europeans of trying to prolong the Ukraine conflict by making unrealistic demands. Dmitriev also states that the US is beginning to understand this.
Dmitriev further claims that the EU should stop sabotaging the peace process. He also accused Europeans of trying to prolong the conflict by making unrealistic demands. This accusation was met with criticism from the Europeans, who accuse Russia of wanting to send troops to Ukraine to secure a possible future peace.
Russia's tactics have been criticised for waging a destructive war in Ukraine for more than three and a half years. Additionally, Kyiv accuses Russia of using these tactics to gain time for new attacks. The statements made by Gerasimov contradict the demands of US President Donald Trump, who wants the war to end quickly.
Despite the ongoing negotiations and the announced autumn offensive, constant attacks are currently taking place along the entire front line of the more than three and a half year-long invasion in Ukraine. The situation remains volatile and uncertain, with both sides continuing to assert their positions.
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