In Russia, there are growing signs of an imminent winter offensive in the war against Ukraine. President Vladimir Putin held high-level meetings with Defense Minister Sergey Shoygu, Chief of Staff Valeriy Gerasimov and commanders of the Russian armed forces throughout the day on Friday. Russian media quoted the Kremlin chief as saying he wanted to hear his suggestions “for short- and medium-term actions” without any concrete results leaking out. On Sunday, Russian state television announced Putin’s “important statements” for the coming days. He will attend an expanded Department of Defense meeting later this week.
Defense Minister Shoygu, who has recently come under pressure in his own country, traveled to the war zone in Ukraine on Sunday and inspected Russian defense lines there, asked about supplies and, apparently, also about the mood among Russian soldiers. . Criticism of inadequate equipment has increased recently in Russia. The British Ministry of Defense said on Sunday that Moscow would soon send two “creative brigades” with artists and actors to the front to better motivate Russian troops.
Putin expected in Minsk on Monday for talks with Lukashenko
According to its own military leadership, Ukraine is also threatened by a new Russian advance into northern Belarus. Kremlin chief Putin is expected in Minsk on Monday for talks with Belarusian ruler Alexander Lukashenko. Officially, the main focus should be on progress towards the formation of the common unity state. However, the progress of the war is likely to play an important, perhaps decisive, role. It is still important for Belarus not to take an active part in the fighting in Ukraine with its own troops. However, the leadership of the Ukrainian army announced a few days ago that Russia could also launch a full-scale attack from Belarus in the event of a new offensive. Lukashenko tried to dispel impressions over the weekend that Minsk was already losing control of its own country to Moscow. “Our independence is not in danger,” he said.
After Russia’s massive rocket launch last Friday, Moscow continued its attacks on Ukraine over the weekend. Residential areas in the liberated city of Kherson were hit, Kyiv said. At least Kiev mayor Vitali Klitschko said that heating in the capital is working again. According to the authorities of the Belgorod region, there were also impacts from the Russian side. One person was killed in the process.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy has called for an international tribunal “for all those who are part of the brutal war in Ukraine”. It shouldn’t just be about the Russian leadership, he said in an interview with French television stations, “but also about the propagandists and strategists who bring the ideology into society.”