Moscow

- The course of Russia's war on Ukraine continues amid fierce battles led by Russian forces, the pace of which was not softened by the negotiating meeting, the first of its kind between the two sides since the beginning of the war, which took place in Belarus.

On the ground, Western and Ukrainian sources speak of fierce resistance by the Ukrainian forces on a number of axes in the face of the advance of Russian forces, especially around major cities.

This comes as Western diplomats and intelligence officers confirm that Russia is seeking to "decapitate" the pro-Western leadership in Kyiv headed by Vladimir Zelensky, and to form a new government in it in the coming days.


'Fierce resistance'

On the other hand, the spokesman for the Russian Armed Forces, General Igor Konashenkov, stated that it is not the units of the Ukrainian armed forces that are most often involved in the hostilities.

He added that the "fierce resistance" of the Luhansk Republic's forces is limited to "Ukrainian Nazi battalions," as he described it.

Moreover, Konashenkov spoke about the existence of evidence that the Ukrainian military intelligence had previously inserted groups of nationalists into the regular military units of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, that these had undergone special training, and that their task was to determine who among the Ukrainian soldiers could not be relied upon, As described.

According to the Russian general, more than one case of killing and revenge was recorded by the nationalists against the conscripts who did not want to fight, continuing that they acted in this way to intimidate the rest of the individuals.

According to the Russian military, these same special teams are blowing up bridges to rule out the possibility of the withdrawal of Ukrainian military units.

In any case, Russian military experts believe that it will take a maximum of several weeks for Russian forces to gain control of all of Ukraine even with strong resistance from the armed forces inside Ukraine.

They estimate the cost of the military operation to amount to about 1% of Russia's gross domestic product.

A Ukrainian army vehicle in the center of the capital, Kyiv, which is under military attack from 3 axes (European)

minimal plan

Vladimir Karyakin, a Russian military expert and teaching assistant at the Military University of the Russian Ministry of Defense - in an interview with Al Jazeera Net - believes that the military leadership in Moscow attaches special importance to the human factor, and manages plans for attack and confrontations so as to reduce to a minimum the possibility of deaths and injuries among Russian soldiers.

Karyakin pointed out that the battles are primarily led by nationalists, not regular soldiers in the Ukrainian army, because the nationalists - according to him - are ideologically mobilized to fight against Russia due to the chauvinistic ideas they hold, adding that a war cannot break out without casualties on both sides.

The military expert explained that the course of the first days of the battles clearly indicated that Kyiv was more interested in propaganda against Russia than in military preparation for war.

He added that the Russian forces in any case would eliminate the pockets of nationalist fighters in Ukraine, estimating that the losses of the Russian army would not exceed several hundred soldiers, he said.


3 scenarios

Meanwhile, Director of the Department of Regional Security Issues at the Military Research Institute Igor Nikolaychuk believes that there are 3 scenarios that could contribute to the development of events:

The first scenario:

 that the minimum program of the Russian operation is to reach the borders of the declared republics (ie the borders of the Lugansk and Donetsk administrative regions), and stop there.

The second scenario:

ensuring the resumption of water supplies through the North Crimean Canal (this actually happened on the evening of February 24), and the restoration of direct railway connection between Russia and the peninsula, which, even if it reduces the value of the Crimean bridge, will allow this republic to breathe in peace, as he put it. .

The third scenario:

It is to move forward until the Sea of ​​Azov becomes the internal sea of ​​Russia, and according to his assessment, Russia will need about 20 days to control the area up to the right bank of the Dnieper River, and most importantly, to impose control over 7 bridges across it, as well as over Kiev.

In general, the Russian army is advancing in 3 axes from the north, south and east of Ukraine, and Russian forces have already managed to enter some Ukrainian residential areas near the border.