Putin prepares for a war. How the president of Russia changed his plan – Ukraine’s intelligence

Russian President Vladimir Putin is reportedly preparing for a “long-term war” after realizing that he cannot control Ukraine quickly, writes Ukrainska Pravda, citing the Main Intelligence Directorate of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine (GUR).

• “The fact that Russia is preparing for a protracted war means that the enemy understands that it is impossible to implement its plan to quickly conquer Ukraine.
• As a result, Putin is currently considering the option of a long-term war,” said GUR spokesman Andrii Iusov.

He says the Russian president’s initial plans did not include a “long-term war,” but recent months have seen the Kremlin try to put the country’s economy on a “war footing” and force Russians to come to terms with the idea. That the war would last a long time.

Ukraine’s intention is the opposite, the GUR spokesman said, according to which Kiev hopes that 2023 will be a year of victory and a fundamental change in the situation.

• “Ukraine or the entire civilized world does not need a protracted war,” the Ukrainian official added.

Since the start of the large-scale invasion, Ukrainian Defense Minister Oleksiy Reznikov has said that Russia was preparing for a long-term war against Ukraine, amassing resources and building defensive strongholds in the occupied territories.

Russia launched its invasion of Ukraine on February 24 last year, and according to Ukrainian experts, Moscow hopes to reach Kiev within a week and topple the government of President Volodymyr Zelensky to install a pro-Russian regime. But nearly a year after the invasion, Russia suffered several setbacks on the battlefield in Ukraine, which, although it annexed four oblasts: Donetsk, Luhansk (east), Kherson, and Zaporizhia (south), did not control it. Not at this time.

There is now strong concern in Kiev that Russia may launch a new offensive on one or more fronts in the coming weeks. The threat hastened the West’s decision to supply Ukraine with offensive-type weapons, Ukrainian experts quoted by the Union news agency say. (Source: Agerpres)