Press
It is uncertain how far Putin’s territorial goals in Ukraine extend. Experts fear that the Kremlin chief’s ambitions could expand.
Moscow – Vladimir Putin, the President of Russia, has repeatedly “Demilitarization and denazification” of Ukraine as war aims called. This Targets served the Kremlin chief as propaganda and as a justification for the war in Ukraine. However, the Kremlin does not provide any concrete information about how far Russia’s territorial goals in the Ukraine war extend. Putin recently demanded that Ukraine cede the regions of Kherson, Zaporizhia, Donetsk and Luhansk to Russia in order to end the war.
Shortly afterwards, the Kremlin warned that the territorial demands in the further Course of the Ukraine war Experts from the US think tank Institute for the Study of War (ISW) also believe that Putin’s territorial goals in the Ukraine war could shift further. Nicole Wolkov, the ISW’s Russia representative, told Newsweekthat Putin “deliberately sets no limits to his goals of conquest in Ukraine”.
Kremlin chief’s goals in the Ukraine war: Putin speaks of “historically Russian territories”
Putin has repeatedly questioned Ukraine’s independence and statehood. He has described parts of Ukraine as “historically Russian territory.” According to an ISW report, Putin has repeatedly suggested that areas outside of Kherson, Zaporizhia, Donetsk and Luhansk are also “part of Russia.”
Long war could expand Putin’s plans for conquest in Ukraine
Volkov explained to Newsweekthat Putin’s plan to prolong the war may lead him to set new territorial goals. So far in the war, Putin’s goals seem to have already shifted.
A report by the US think tank Council on Foreign Relations (CFR) states that after the war began in February 2022, Putin indicated “that he had little interest in conquering large territories”.
Putin’s view of history and his imperialist aspirations
Putin has stated that his goal is to “protect” the Russian-speaking population in the Donetsk and Luhansk regions. This narrative has served as part of Putin’s war propaganda since the beginning of the war. Putin has also indicated that Russia does not intend to occupy “Ukrainian territories.” However, Putin has not clarified what exactly he means by this.
According to a report by the CFR, Putin believes that Ukraine was “the creation of Soviet leader Vladimir Lenin and his Bolshevik comrades.” They gave Russia some of the “historical lands.” Putin’s idea of ”Ukrainian territories” therefore only includes the west of the country.
Front in the Ukraine war provides clue to Putin’s goals
Russia’s approach to the war and the course of the front indicate that Putin has larger territorial goals. “The march on Kharkiv in the east, the attempt to build a land bridge between the Crimea and the Donbass, and the advance into Odessa all seemed like part of an ambitious plan to control all of Ukraine east of the Dnipro River,” the think tank’s report said.
According to an ISW report, the Kremlin has deliberately set no limits on Russia’s “conquest goals in Ukraine.” Volkov told Newsweek: “Putin probably believes he can use Russia’s ability to maintain the initiative during this time to gain more territory.”
According to ISW, countering Putin’s plan will require counter-offensives by Ukraine and support from Western states. In this way, Ukraine could try to prevent Putin’s alleged plan to prolong the war to his advantage from succeeding. (pav)
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