War experts assume that Putin’s army could soon succeed in completely taking over Luhansk Oblast in the Ukraine war. A propaganda success for Putin.
Moscow – In October 2022, Russia annexed the four occupied Ukrainian regions of Zaporizhia, Kherson, Luhansk and Donetsk, although Moscow never had full control over the regions. Now the Russian army is apparently on the verge of completely taking over the Luhansk Oblast.
Propaganda success in the Ukraine war? Putin could succeed in taking Luhansk
The fact that the Russian army only partially controlled the four regions annexed in violation of international law was a matter of concern to the Russian president Vladimir Putin always a thorn in the side. At least in Luhansk, the tide could now turn for the Kremlin chief: Russian troops already controlled 98.8 percent of Luhansk on Thursday (October 3). Expert Angelica Evans from the US think tank Institute for the Study of War (ISW) told the US magazine Newsweek with. Russia’s advance in the region has been slow in recent weeks because this section of the front was not a Russian priority.
Evans confirmed that Moscow’s troops had already advanced to the southwest of the Luhansk city of Swatowe. According to unverified reports from the Russian Defense Ministry, Russian troops also captured Makiivka, a village southwest of Svatove. Russia’s goal is to conquer the rest of Luhansk Oblast and then advance west into the eastern Kharkiv Oblast and the northern Donetsk Oblast, the daily said Analysis of the ISW from Thursday.
According to ISW expert Evans, the areas in Luhansk that remain in Ukrainian hands are not of great military importance. But Putin is likely to celebrate the complete conquest of the entire oblast – if it succeeds – as a symbolic success. “The Kremlin will conquer the Luhansk Oblast […] probably overrated as a major victory on the battlefield,” Evans agreed Newsweek. This could potentially deal a blow to Ukrainian morale.
Putin on the second anniversary of the annexation of the four regions: “All the goals set will be achieved”
On the second anniversary of Moscow’s annexation of the four Ukrainian regions, Putin said in a video message on Monday: “All set goals will be achieved.” It was a message to celebrate “Reunification Day” – and the Kremlin chief repeated Russia’s alleged war goals. The Russian president claimed that the invasion of the neighboring country was intended to protect the Russian-speaking minority against the Ukrainian “neo-Nazi dictatorship”. The Nazi narrative about Ukraine is a proven false claim.
In his speech on February 24, 2022, Putin announced that Russia’s goals in… Ukraine war are the “demilitarization” and “denazification” of the attacked country. The Kremlin leader also called for NATO to undertake not to accept any new members. At the UN General Assembly in October 2022, 143 of the 193 members of the U.N.General Assembly in New York condemned the Russian annexation of the four Ukrainian regions. However, the vote was not binding under international law (bme with AFP).
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