Vladimir Putin has no intention for peace as he is mobilising between 40,000 and 45,000 men every month to fight in Ukraine.
Russia wants to conscript 160,000 men for mandatory military service as Moscow has lost almost 1 million soldiers since the war started on 24 February 2022.
In 2024 Putin signed a decree to increase the Russian army from 1.5 million to 2.4 million and conscripts men twice a year.
Meanwhile Ukraine is mobilising between 25,000 and 27,000 men ever month into the Ukrainian Armed Forces.
Over the past few weeks Russia has intensified their war efforts despite calls for an unconditional ceasefire.
Speaking to the NV outlet President Volodymyr Zelensky said, “When the U.S. sends signals that it wants to do something positive with Russia, then Russia ramps up its mobilization.”
Russia is also massing around 50,000 troops close to Ukraine’s northeastern Sumy Oblast and will attempt to create a 20-kilometre buffer zone, Zelensky said in a press briefing.
Ukrinform reported Zelensky saying, “Now, they are accumulating troops in the direction of Sumy.
Over 50,000. We understand, but have had success there.”
Kyiv has warned that Putin is preparing for a new offensive into Sumy Oblast and the Kremlin has suggested to create a buffer zone between Ukraine and Russia in the region.
Zelensky has said that Putin’s forces will do whatever they can to also enter Dnipropetrovsk Oblast.
Zelensky said, “They will do everything to cross the administrative border of Dnipropetrovsk Oblast… So far, they have not succeeded.”
He added that Russia’s goal is to take complete control of Luhansk and Donetsk Oblasts creating a buffer zone to then incorporated them into the Russian Federation.
On Tuesday Zelensky he does not think that Washington will support Ukraine pulling out of the partially occupied regions that Putin is demanding.
Interfax-reported that Zelensky told reporters, “What’s written in the ultimatums doesn’t matter if we’re talking about more than just a piece of paper; we’re talking about what could lead to the first step: a ceasefire.”
He added, “I think that even at the highest level, the United States today will not support Ukraine withdrawing from the territories” that Ukraine controls.
During the recent peace talks in Turkey, Russia demanded that Ukraine must withdraw all their forces out of Luhansk, Donetsk, Zaporizhzhia, and Kherson oblasts.
