William Molinié / Photo credits: STRINGER / ANADOLU / Anadolu via AFP
Traveling to Kharkiv on Thursday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky indicated that his troops were flocking to the north of the country to defend this strategic city, while Russian forces were getting closer. The perfect plan for Russia, which seeks to conquer the entire regions of Donbass.
Is Ukraine bending against Russia? Between 35,000 and 50,000 Russian soldiers are flocking to Kharkiv, a very strategic city for kyiv. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said Thursday that several of his troops were streaming north to defend the city and its surrounding area.
Complete the conquest of the Donbass regions
Ultimately, the trap set by the Russians seems to be working, because Moscow’s objective is to force the Ukrainians to move troops towards the north. This maneuver could then allow the Russians to open breaches in the south and complete the conquest of the entire regions of Donbass.
At the same time, the Ukrainian army is struggling to line up 250,000 men on the front line. “In all the brigades, there is a 40% shortage of personnel,” underlines a French military source to Europe 1. “We are facing a wave of desertion among young conscripts,” confirms a Ukrainian officer. “In kyiv, they no longer talk to us about armaments but about recruitment problems,” continues a French soldier returning from the front after an observation mission.
Zelensky, towards negotiating the end of the war?
Western armies seem to have made up their minds. Ukraine will have to negotiate the end of the war, at the risk of a worst-case scenario, for example, that the Russians undertake to open another front.
According to information from Europe 1, Western chancelleries are preparing coordinated diplomatic action to convince Volodymyr Zelensky to accept the principle of negotiations. It remains to be seen whether the Ukrainian president is ready to exchange his costume of war hero for that of an actor of peace.