Putin wants full control over Ukraine's territory and people, ISW analysts warn
Photo: Vladimir Putin, Russian president (Getty Images)
Russia has broader territorial ambitions in Ukraine than just Crimea and the four occupied regions, says the Institute for the Study of War (ISW).
ISW analysts believe that Russian president Vladimir Putin and his inner circle are using narratives about "Donbas," "Novorossiya," and "one people" to justify their claims. This suggests that Russia's territorial ambitions in Ukraine are more extensive.
ISW also noted that in recent days, Putin held a meeting on the socio-economic development of the occupied Luhansk, Donetsk, Zaporizhzhia, and Kherson regions, during which he "frequently referred to occupied Ukraine as 'Donbas and Novorossiya'."
"Kremlin Spokesperson Dmitry Peskov responded on June 30 to a June 27 statement by Odesa City Mayor Hennadii Trukhanov that Odesa City is not a 'Russian' city and has its own history, claiming that the history of Odesa City is 'inextricably linked' with Russia," the report states.
The authors also recall that Putin's aide, Vladimir Medinsky, declared that Russians and Ukrainians are "one people" with a “historical homeland," referring to the "ancient Russian lands on both sides of the Dnipro (River), Novorossiya, and Crimea."
"Putin's, Peskov's, and Medinsky's June 30 statements are only the latest statements from high-ranking Kremlin officials indicating the extent of Russia's territorial ambitions. Putin reiterated at the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF) on June 20 that he considers the Russian and Ukrainian people to be 'one people in reality' and that 'Ukraine is [Russia's]', ISW noted.
Analysts pointed out that other Kremlin officials have also consistently declared that they do not view Ukraine as an independent state with its own history, identity, and culture distinct from Russia.
"Russian officials' ongoing commitment to these narratives demonstrates the Kremlin's continued objective of destroying the Ukrainian state and subjugating the Ukrainian people," ISW concluded.
Russia's plans
Earlier, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy warned that Russia plans to occupy Odesa. According to him, after seizing the city, Moscow aims to reach the borders of Moldova and Romania.
