Evgenia Sokolenko21:31, 16.01.23

According to the intelligence representative, the president of the Russian Federation still wants to destroy Ukrainians as a separate nation.

Russian President Vladimir Putin instructed the new commander of the Russian Armed Forces in Ukraine , Valeria Gerasimova, to seize Donetsk and Luhansk regions by March.

This was stated by the representative of the press service of the Main Intelligence Directorate of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine Andriy Yusov on the FREEDOM broadcast. According to him, Putin does not pay attention to what is actually happening at the front. The Russian president seeks the destruction of Ukrainians as a separate people and nation, the destruction of Ukraine as an independent state.

“All the same, we can talk about the priority direction for the Rashists – this is Donbas. And the next terms that he already defines for Gerasimov, let’s say, as the new leader of the war against Ukraine, is the goal of capturing Donbas and forming a certain security zone, well, already until March,” said the representative of HUR.

He reminded that before the occupation authorities, the terms of the assigned tasks were repeatedly changed. In particular, they wanted to “take Kyiv in three days.” Yusov emphasized that the occupiers will not succeed this time either. Intelligence has information about signs of preparations by the Russian occupation army for an offensive in the Zaporizhzhia direction.

“Yes, of course, there are such data. This may indicate both direct preparation for offensive actions on the part of the enemy, and certain deceptive actions in order to conduct an information campaign and, let’s say, hide their true intentions in other directions of the front. All information is monitored, and appropriate conclusions and measures are taken by the Ukrainian Defense Forces,” Yusov concluded.

The threat of a new offensive by the occupiers

As previously reported by UNIAN, the Minister of Defense of Ukraine, Oleksiy Reznikov  , predicted activity  at the front with the onset of spring. According to him, Russia could prepare resources for an attack in the south and east.

Later, the Secretary of the National Security Council, Oleksiy Danilov, said that the  occupation army of the Russian Federation  may try to make its last push on the anniversary of the full-scale invasion of Ukraine or in March.

Political scientist Mark Galeotti also  noted that the appointment of Valery Gerasimov, the head of the Russian Armed Forces, may indicate the Kremlin’s preparation for a serious invasion.

(C)UNIAN 2023