Russian invaders are planning to increase pressure on various fronts in the near future, wherever possible, says Deputy Head of the President’s Office Pavlo Palisa, according to UNIAN.
He has commented on the possibility of a Russian offensive in the spring or early summer, saying, “Currently, there are signs of preparations for an escalation in several directions.”
“Undoubtedly, the Russians have resources. But whether they are sufficient for significant operational successes is questionable,” he explains.
Palisa says that available information indicates that “this year, the Russian army plans to increase its forces by 150,000 troops.”
“Roughly, this is equivalent to about 15 motorized rifle divisions. Their formation is ongoing, and there are no issues with recruitment at the moment,” Palisa emphasizes.
However, he notes that all these units cannot be deployed at once.
“Therefore, it is expected that they will try to intensify pressure in areas where it is possible in the near future,” he says.
The deputy head of the President’s Office points out that this is happening during the current ceasefire negotiations.
“It’s no secret that these talks are of little interest to the Russians right now—except, perhaps, on the maritime front, where a ceasefire is more relevant. As for air or ground operations, it is clear that they continue to advance slowly, trying to break through certain sections of the front,” he explains.
He adds that these are partial, slow tactical successes, achieved at a very high cost for the Russians.
“But if they can afford this, they will continue to drag things out. Their goal is to show the world, particularly Mr. Trump, that they are making progress—even if it’s ‘kind of, but not really,'” Palisa concludes.
Earlier, Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a decree on the spring military draft, calling up 160,000 Russians aged 18 to 30 for service.
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