Andriy Yusov, the representative of the press service of the Main Intelligence Directorate of Ukraine’s Defense Ministry, stated this on January 16 on the FREEDOM TV channel.
"In general, we can say that Putin does not pay attention to reality, therefore he has not changed his global tasks. We are talking about the destruction of Ukrainians as a separate nation, the destruction of Ukraine as an independent state. Still, we can talk about the priority for Russians which is Donbas. And the next deadline that he already defines for Gerasimov, let's say, as the new head of war against Ukraine, is the goal of seizing Donbas and forming certain security zone, well, by March," he noted.
In particular, Yusov added that the deadline for the tasks set by Putin for the Russian occupying army was repeatedly postponed, and soon it will be a year since the full-scale invasion of the Russian Federation into Ukraine.
"It's been a year like they are taking Kyiv in 3 days. Well, in general, however, there are new goals and new tasks. Nothing will work out this time either," Yusov is convinced.
He also confirmed that intelligence has information about signs of preparations by the Russian occupying army for the offensive in the Zaporizhzhia direction.
"Yes, of course, there are such data. This may indicate both direct preparation for offensive actions on the part of the Russian enemy, and certain deceptive actions in order to conduct an information campaign and, let's say, hide their true intentions in other directions of the front. All information is monitored, and appropriate conclusions and measures are taken by Ukrainian Defense Forces," he emphasized.
On January 16, it became known that Russia is now preparing for an attempt to make a so-called extreme push, which is connected with personnel changes in the command of the Russian Federation.