Photo: facebook.com/GeneralStaff.ua
Russia plans to annex the occupied territory of Ukraine in autumn 2022
–
–
After the annexation, Putin may threaten a nuclear strike. Allegedly, the Russian doctrine allows the use of nuclear weapons to protect the territory of Russia, it also applies to the annexed territories.
US officials have said that Russia plans to annex the occupied territory of Ukraine as early as the fall of 2022. About it informs American Institute for the Study of War ISW.
US National Security Council spokesman John Kirby announced that the Kremlin is beginning to roll out a version of its 2014 “annexation plan” in Ukraine and is “exploring detailed plans” to annex the Kherson, Zaporozhye, Donetsk and Luhansk regions, citing recently declassified intelligence data. Kirby confirmed that the Kremlin installed illegitimate proxies, forcibly used the ruble, replaced Ukrainian telecommunications and broadcasting infrastructure with Russian alternatives, and forced Ukrainians to apply for Russian passports to carry out basic tasks in the occupied territories.
The timing of Putin’s annexation likely depends on how much he understands the deteriorating state of the Russian military in Ukraine. He may intend to seize the rest of the Donetsk region before annexing all the occupied territories, which will most likely force him to postpone the annexation.
According to ISW experts, the degraded forces of Russia are unlikely to occupy the entire Donetsk region by a single voting day in Russia on September 11 in local and gubernatorial elections across the country, the most likely date for annexation referendums, so the option of postponing the elections to a later date is even being considered.
Putin could use nuclear threats to deter a Ukrainian counteroffensive in the annexed Kherson, Zaporozhye, Donetsk and Lugansk regions. After the annexation, he may claim that the Russian doctrine allowing the use of nuclear weapons to defend Russian territory applies to the newly annexed territories. Such actions would threaten Ukraine and its partners with a nuclear strike if Ukraine continues its counter-offensive to liberate the territory occupied by Russia.
Previously it was reported that The United States will provide Ukraine with a new package of military assistancewhich will include a batch of HIMARS multiple launch rocket systems and their ammunition.
News from Korrespondent.net in Telegram. Subscribe to our channel https://t.me/korrespondentnet
–
