Russia gearing up for major summer offensive — military expert

He expressed this opinion on Espreso TV.

"Just yesterday, I saw media reports quoting the head of the Russian embassy in London. He clearly articulates the same points that Putin once voiced and which Lavrov has repeatedly reiterated. Specifically, that Russia is ready to start negotiations with Ukraine, but only taking into account the situation on the ground. Putin desperately wants to secure certain gains for himself. This includes Ukraine withdrawing its troops from the Zaporizhzhia, Kherson, Luhansk, and Donetsk regions, as well as from the Russian Kursk region. I don’t know which modern Ukrainian politicians would agree to such terms. So, obviously, discussions about Putin's willingness to make peace are inappropriate. Putin may indeed engage in negotiations, but these will be empty statements and actions. His key vision remains unchanged—he dreams of destroying Ukraine," Selezniov stated.

The expert emphasized that Russia is unlikely to agree to a ceasefire anytime soon. He believes that active combat operations will continue throughout 2025.

"Unfortunately, we will not see a decrease in the intensity of hostilities this year. The enemy has resources and is trying to implement its plans. The events on the battlefield are very telling. I believe that Russian forces are actively preparing for a summer offensive campaign, forming three bridgeheads for attacks, particularly in the Sloviansk-Kramatorsk area, Druzhkivka, and the Kostiantynivka urban agglomeration. Therefore, we should not delude ourselves into thinking that Putin will agree to peace anytime soon," he added.

• On March 7, the General Staff of the Ukrainian Armed Forces reported that since the beginning of the day on March 6, there have been 146 battles along the Russian-Ukrainian front. The Russian army has been most active in the Kursk region, where Ukrainian defense forces repelled 32 enemy attacks, as well as in the Toretsk direction, where another 32 attacks were repelled.