Putin orders Russian army to seize Donetsk and Luhansk regions by March

The press service of Ukraine's Main Intelligence Directorate reports this with reference to representative Andrii Cherniak.

“We observe that the occupying Russian forces are redeploying additional assault groups, units, weapons and military equipment to the east. According to Ukraine's intelligence, Putin has ordered the seizure of the Donetsk and Luhansk regions by March,” Cherniak said.

The representative added that there are signs of Russia's preparations for a new attempt at a massive offensive and seizure of eastern Ukraine.

However, the Russian Federation does not have sufficient forces and means to launch an offensive in the Donetsk and Luhansk regions in the coming weeks.

“As of today, there are no formed strike groups. There is no threat of involving Belarus in a full-scale invasion on the side of Russia against Ukraine, but these are also, of course, risks that we must take into account,” the representative of the Main Intelligence Directorate said. 

The enemy also uses the territory of neighboring Belarus to train the mobilized soldiers. 

• Previously, the publication Bloomberg wrote that despite the Russian army's losses in the war with Ukraine, President Vladimir Putin is planning a new offensive, which may begin in February-March.

• Oleksiy Danilov, Secretary of Ukraine's National Security and Defense Council, said that the Russians are preparing for a new wave of offensives in Ukraine by February 24 and are scouting Ukraine's defense capabilities. Subsequently, he emphasized that the authorities understand the threat of a repeated attack by Russian troops on the territory of Ukraine and are vigorously preparing.

• Already on February 1, the Secretary of the National Security and Defense Council stated: “The Russians are preparing for the maximum escalation of the war, and no scenario can be ruled out in the next two or three weeks.”