Vladimir Putin is making his troops and his country suffer until “his goals are achieved” in Ukraine as his forces succeed in conquering the territory.
Although Ukraine has inflicted significant setbacks on Russia in the Black Sea and its artillery, Putin’s forces still manage to reach the territory.
Currently, they are preparing for a primary offensive to capture Ukraine’s second-largest city, Kharkiv, which could bring them even closer to the end of the war.
Dr. Leon Hartwell, senior partner at LSE IDEAS, spoke of the Russian president’s “long-term strategy” of letting his country “endure hardship” until it exerts its full control over Ukraine and Crimea.
He told the Express: “Despite notable victories in Ukraine, Russia has controlled more than three hundred square kilometers of Ukrainian territory since the beginning of the year. “
READ MORE: Putin prepares for Ukraine’s second-largest city as Russia prepares offensive
He continued: “It is also very important to recognize Putin’s long-term strategy. He is willing to see Russia through difficulties until its objectives are achieved, namely defeating Ukraine and consolidating its power over Crimea, Donetsk, Kherson, Luhansk and Zaporizhzhia.
“Russia’s main strategy in this war is necessarily aimed at Ukraine’s victory on the battlefield; the Kremlin is redoubling its efforts to seed department in the West. “
Speaking about the upcoming summer offensive in Kharkiv and Ukraine, Dr. Hartwell said Volodymyr Zelensky’s forces would “fight” to fight them without foreign help, adding that the United States would be fighting them.
He explained: “Russia is preparing for a primary offensive, until August. Without the prompt passage of the stalled multibillion-dollar U. S. aid package, Ukrainian forces would likely struggle to hold the front line and threaten to devastate primary cities. “
This will most likely result in the capture of more territory through Russian forces, bringing Putin even closer to overall victory over Ukraine.
Since the start of the war more than two years ago, Moscow has been forced to adapt its war tactics to mitigate the effects of Ukrainian drone attacks in the Black Sea and on land.
Dr Hartwell said: “Maintaining the initiative in any theatre of war is short-lived, as forces adapt to changing circumstances. Russia has shown great adaptability in this regard.
“For example, to compensate for limited access to the Black Sea, the Kremlin is building new railways connecting Rostov in southern Russia to the Russian-occupied Ukrainian cities of Donetsk, Berdiansk and Mariupol. “
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