Russia states more limited war goal to 'liberate' Donbass
By: Mark Trevelyan and Alexander Winning (Reuters)
Why is this suddenly a scaled back goal of the Russian invasion? Vladimir Putin's entire justification for invading Ukraine centered on Russia's historical connections to the people of the Donbas region. Russia recognized the independence of the Donetsk People's Republic and the Luhansk People's Republic as the opening signal for invasion.
Putin's stated objectives were quite clear. Autonomy for Donetsk and Luhansk, security guarantees that included Ukraine not becoming a member of NATO, and recognition of Russia's interests in Crimea. Putin's justifications for invasion were consistent with the points and conditions agreed to in the Minsk Protocols and Agreements negotiated in 2014.
The narrative that Putin and Russia wanted to capture Ukraine, remove the Ukrainian government, and install a puppet government is what Volodymyr Zelensky has been saying. The narrative that Putin and Russia is threatening NATO is what Joe Biden has been saying. Apparently no one listened to what Vladimir Putin said. Everyone has been assuming that Putin lied about everything and that Zelensky and Biden know more about Russia's intentions than anyone else on the planet.
Now Zelensky and Biden will claim victory because Putin didn't do what Zelensky and Biden said Putin would do. Putin did draw a red line in Ukraine and dared NATO to step across. And NATO, led by Joe Biden. was afraid to fight that war. Zelensky and Biden have won a war of words which will be of little comfort to the ordinary people of Ukraine.
A large portion of the ordinary people of Ukraine have left the country and have created a humanitarian crisis. Ukrainian refugees fleeing to the United States won't be returning anytime in the near future. Ukraine's military resources have been greatly diminished. Europe faces energy shortages, food shortages, and economic burdens to care for a flood of immigrants. But NATO is more united than ever before in history. Yet a resurgent NATO still refused to fight.
In the end Putin will have gotten what he said he wanted before invading Ukraine. So, who are the real winners and losers in this war?
S E E D E D C O N T E N T
LONDON, March 25 (Reuters) - In a scaled-back formulation of its war goals, Russia said on Friday that the first phase of its military operation was mostly complete and it would focus on completely "liberating" Ukraine's breakaway eastern Donbass region.
The announcement appeared to indicate that Moscow may be switching to more limited objectives after running into fierce Ukrainian resistance in a month of war.
The defence ministry said Russian-backed separatists now controlled 93% of Ukraine's Luhansk region and 54% of the Donetsk region. They jointly make up the Donbass.
"The main objectives of the first stage of the operation have generally been accomplished," Sergei Rudskoi, head of the Russian General Staff's Main Operational Directorate, said in a speech.
"The combat potential of the Armed Forces of Ukraine has been considerably reduced, which ... makes it possible to focus our core efforts on achieving the main goal, the liberation of Donbass."
A senior diplomatic source in Moscow described it as a face-saving move and possible prelude to a climb-down by Russia. Its forces have become bogged down and failed to take any major city since invading Ukraine from the north, east and south on Feb. 24.
"Their war aims are/were much wider than Donbass, leaving their force divided with poorly coordinated attacks on multiple fronts by unprepared troops," the …
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