Putin Aims to Capture Dnipro and Kharkiv After Donbas, Warns Zelensky
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has expressed deep concerns over Russia's aggressive intentions under President Vladimir Putin, indicating that the Kremlin's ambitions extend beyond the Donbas region to strategic cities like Dnipro and Kharkiv.
In a recent podcast interview on The Rest is Politics, published by The Guardian, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky articulated his worries regarding the escalating military ambitions of Russia, led by President Vladimir Putin. Zelensky warned that if Putin were to gain full control over the Donbas region, he would not halt there but would likely move to seize other key regional centers, specifically Dnipro and Kharkiv.
The Ukrainian leader emphasized that the negotiation team of former U.S. President Donald Trump failed to truly grasp Russia's objectives. He pointed out that U.S. Special Envoy Steve Vitkov and Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner spent an excessive amount of time with Putin and his inner circle in Moscow, which may have led to a misinterpretation of the situation.
Zelensky believes that Ukraine possesses a better understanding of the psychology of the Russian dictator and his actual military goals. He noted that some Americans partially perceive the Donbas as lacking significant importance to Ukraine and are reluctant to acknowledge that Putin could deceive them by continuing the occupation, even after potential concessions from Ukraine.
On April 8, Deputy Head of the President's Office Pavlo Palisa reported that Russian occupying forces are planning to establish a buffer zone in the Vinnytsia region, which borders the unrecognized Transnistria. According to him, the Russians also intend to create such zones in the Kharkiv, Sumy, and Chernihiv regions. Furthermore, their plans include the capture of Zaporizhzhia and Kherson, with long-term ambitions aimed at Mykolaiv and Odesa.
On March 31, Zelensky noted that Russia is demanding Ukraine withdraw from the parts of Donbas under its control, promising that “then the war will end.” He warned that if Ukraine does not withdraw within two months, Russia would seize Donbas, after which new conditions could arise. Meanwhile, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov denied the existence of deadlines but stated that the withdrawal of Ukrainian troops from Donbas “should happen today, and it would have been better if it had been done yesterday.”
Zelensky has repeatedly stressed that Ukraine's stance on territorial issues remains unchanged. Kyiv will not agree to cede the Donetsk and Luhansk regions to Russia. In an interview with Corriere Della Sera published on March 3, he emphasized that Ukraine will not abandon Donbas and its 200,000 residents, as retreating would open the way for Russia to advance into the center of the country and would not halt new demands from the Kremlin.
These statements from Zelensky underscore the gravity of the situation in eastern Ukraine and the urgent need for international support in countering Russian aggression. The war between Russia and Ukraine continues, and the issue of territorial integrity remains critically relevant for the Ukrainian people.