The US government is no longer confident that Ukraine will regain territories lost to Russia in the war, White House officials told CNN.
The scenario assessment comes as Russian forces advance into the Lysyhansk region, the last major city still controlled by Ukrainian troops in Luhansk province and the Kremlin’s new battlefield target after the fall of neighboring Sievierodonetsk over the weekend.
Although the US is still approving military aid to Ukraine and other NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization)allied countries, the scenario of a Russian advance in the east of the country has led to significant losses in soldiers with the number of deaths up to 100 per Day and the rapid loss of received weapons, which also require training by Ukrainian armed forces to operate them.
According to CNN, it is this scenario that has changed the US climate and sparked talks of a reducedterritory Ukraine.
Picture: UOL Art.No
Ukraine, on the other hand, has repeatedly stated that it will not cede any territory. Negotiations between the two countries have been suspended with no sign of resuming. For its part, Russia says the conflict could be ended “in a day” if Ukraine surrenders on Kremlin terms.
“[A Ucrânia] must order nationalist units to surrender arms, order Ukrainian soldiers to surrender arms, and meet all conditions set by Russia. Then it’s all over in one day,” Dmitry Peskov, spokesman for Vladimir Putin, said yesterday.
Kherson holds referendum on annexation of Russia
Meanwhile, Kherson is expected to hold a popular referendum “soon” on possible annexation by Russia, Kirill Stremousov, the deputy head of the municipality’s military occupation government, told Telegram.
“The Kherson region will make a decision and join the Russian Federation. It will become a fullfledged entity that can be like a single state where people in Russia live as a single family,” Stremousov said during an interview published in her Channel.
Stremousov announced yesterday that the mayor of Kherson, Igor Kolykhaev, has been arrested by Russian forces and their separatist allies. Kolykhaev was overthrown by Russian forces that seized the region in April.
Kherson was one of the first places where the Russians were successful in their military offensive. The municipality is located in northern Crimea, an area controlled by Russia since 2014.
New attacks on Mykolaiv
At least one apartment building was hit by a series of Russian artillery strikes in the city of Mykolaiv today, local officials say. Three people would have died.
The Russian Defense Ministry confirmed the attacks and said they hit eight ammunition depots and a fuel depot in the Mykolaiv region, as well as a Ukrainian military training base for “foreign mercenaries” near the city.