Kremlin justifies duration of war against Ukraine claiming it is fighting with "collective West"

Following an analysis of the most recent official Russian statements, the UK Defence Intelligence believes that the Kremlin is attempting to justify the length of the war by citing the alleged direct conflict with the West.

Source: UK Defence Intelligence review dated 22 February on Twitter, as reported by European Pravda

Details: The agency cites a statement by Dmitry Peskov, the spokesman of the Russian president, in which he stated that the "special military operation" (the way Russians call the war against Ukraine) began against Ukraine, but "it has taken on the form of a war against the collective West".

"This is broadly consistent with a trend in Russian official rhetoric that seeks to excuse the length of the conflict, and scale of Russian losses through the depiction of the war as a direct conflict with the West," the statement said. 

Peskov also acknowledged that the so-called special military operation "may last a little longer, but this can’t change the course of things".

"This forms part of the official Russian narrative almost certainly aimed at situating the domestic population for a long-term conflict and the associated decline in domestic living standards, while providing reassurance of ultimate Russian victory," the department added.

In an earlier review, UK Defence Intelligence examined the situation surrounding Russian attacks in the Robotyne region of ZaporizhzhIa Oblast.

UK intelligence also believes that after capturing the war-torn town of Avdiivka, Russian forces need time to re-equip and rest, although in the coming weeks, they will try to expand their territorial gains.

Support UP or become our patron!