Russian Defense Minister says Moscow will continue war against Ukraine until 2025: What it really means
Russian Minister of Defense Sergei Shoigu (kremlin.ru)
Russian Minister of Defense Sergei Shoigu said that the war against Ukraine would continue until 2025. One can see this statement as an acknowledgment that the Russians are unable to win, counting on a change in the situation, as Head of the Сenter of Military Law Researches Oleksandr Musiienko told RBC-Ukraine.
What Shoigu said
Yesterday, Russian media posted a video of a Russian generals meeting, where Shoigu mentioned the timeline of the Russian war against Ukraine.
"We continue to build up our combat capabilities by supplying modern weapons and improving the training of our troops, taking into account the experience of a 'special military operation.' The consistent implementation of the activity plan until 2025 will allow us to achieve our goals," said the Russian minister.
Shoigu did not specify the exact "goals" that the Russian leadership wants to achieve. Earlier, Russian representatives mentioned various "goals" of the so-called special operation, including "denazification" and "demilitarization" of Ukraine.
Russia acknowledges its inability to win
According to military expert Oleksandr Musiienko, such statements made by Shoigu could indicate that Russia understands its inability to win the war. At the same time, the Russians hope that the U.S. elections will alter the situation in their favor.
"The Russian leadership is oriented towards the U.S. elections. They hope that something might change with the elections. For example, Donald Trump or another candidate who would lean Ukraine toward negotiations and reduce military aid packages might win. They are preparing for a prolonged war as long as they have the resources and the capability to wage it," he explained.
Russians are being prepared for a prolonged war
Musiienko believes that Shoigu's statement also indicates that the Russian audience is being prepared for a prolonged war. Moscow acknowledges that they cannot achieve significant victories on the frontlines today, but the war will continue.
"They are clearly telling the Russian audience that the war will last a long time. They need to continue the war because anything else would be a failure for Putin. For him, it would have more negative consequences than to tell the Russian society to continue the war," the expert noted.
Ukraine's Center for Strategic Communications and Information Security also views Shoigu's statement as nothing more than an attempt to calm Russian society.
"Once again, the Kremlin is trying to reassure the disoriented and disillusioned Russian society by setting an illusory deadline until 2025, just like the earlier predictions of taking Kyiv in three days, winning by May 9, and other forecasts related to the so-called special operation," the agency stated
It also notes that none of the previously declared "goals" of the so-called "special military operation" have been achieved, and thus, Putin's speculation is a clear failure, leading to an inevitable defeat.
