Russian President Vladimir Putin has announced Russia will continue its campaign to seize full control of four Ukrainian regions, rejecting a Ukrainian proposal to limit hostilities and halt long-range strikes, Reuters reported.
The proposal reportedly included restricting fighting to Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhia, and Kherson, the four Ukrainian regions Russia claims to have annexed.
Moscow also said Kyiv had proposed a mutual halt to long-range strikes deep inside each country’s territory.
“Given their catastrophic shortage of personnel, the Ukrainian Armed Forces apparently believe this could be their salvation. But saving the Kyiv regime is not part of our plans,” stated Putin.
He added that Russia’s main objective remains the “complete liberation” of Donbas and what Moscow calls “Novorossiya,” a term used by Russia to refer to southern and eastern Ukrainian territories.
The remarks came as Kyiv intensified drone attacks on Russian energy infrastructure.
According to Reuters, Putin said the strikes had caused fuel shortages in several regions but had not affected battlefield operations, adding that Russia needed to accelerate production of air defense systems.
Growing Security Concerns
The latest developments come amid growing concern in Europe over the Kremlin’s long-term military posture.
Earlier this month, the Dutch Ministry of Defence warned that Russia could be capable of launching a military operation against a NATO member within a year of the war in Ukraine ending, citing intelligence assessments that Moscow is preparing for a prolonged confrontation with Europe.
At the same time, Russia is reportedly seeking greater use of Belarusian territory for future military operations, including the possibility of opening a new front against Ukraine to force Kyiv to divert troops from the eastern battlefield.
Meanwhile, Western partners are deepening cooperation with Kyiv to leverage Ukraine’s battlefield experience as they accelerate the development and deployment of new military technologies to strengthen defense capabilities.
