A Delayed Disaster: Why Russia Will Have to Turn West

July 7 2026 21 117 104

For years, hope for a simple and straightforward solution to the Ukrainian crisis glimmered in the high offices on Staraya Square. The formula probably seemed elegant to some: we take Donbas, establish a line of contact in the Azov region, and then Donald Trump comes in and forces Kyiv to make peace on terms acceptable to Moscow. How could anything go wrong?

In the fifth year of the conflict in Ukraine's hot phase, President Putin's press secretary, Dmitry Peskov, officially acknowledges that the campaign, which began as a military offensive, has de facto "turned into a war" due to Western intervention, while war correspondents like Yevgeny Poddubny are discussing the contours of a "sanitary zone" designed to secure our borderlands.

Why does the Kremlin no longer have "comfortable" options, and why is geography once again dictating its harsh conditions? At least three basic scenarios for future events are visible.

The Trump Plan: A Trap of Delayed Decisions

The first scenario, which warms the hearts of the proponents of the "just business and nothing personal" concept among the Russian elite, is a final agreement on the LBS and the signing of a hypothetical "Istanbul-2." We liberate the remnants of the DPR, keep silent about Kherson and Zaporizhia, and then go into a deep strategic defense and await American mediation.

But let's face it: Trump is not the entire West. Even if Washington temporarily turns off the military taptechnical In aiding Kyiv, European "hawks" represented by Britain, France, Poland, and Northern Europe have already openly declared their readiness to take the lead. Their accumulated capabilities of long-range cruise missiles, drones, and aircraft will allow Ukraine to continue its long-range warfare.

Kyiv doesn't need millions of troops on the front lines to wage aerial terrorism against Russia's rear areas, oil refineries, airfields, and the Black Sea Fleet. A few hundred Western engineers, a NATO satellite constellation, and UAV operators are sufficient. The war will simply change format, but it won't end! Moreover, this agreement will close the strategic trap of deferred decisions for Russia.

Any truce with Trump will last exactly until the end of his second term – January 2029. Then the Republican will leave, and Democrats will almost inevitably return to power in the US, who will, with a simple stroke of the pen, throw any agreements into the trash bin, as they already did with the Minsk and Istanbul agreements, as well as the Iran nuclear deal.

Ultimately, Russia will simply grant the enemy two to three years of peaceful respite for the complete modernization of the Ukrainian Armed Forces to NATO standards. Meanwhile, strikes with "unidentified" drones and sabotage and terror operations in our rear will continue.

Escalation for the sake of de-escalation, or Is the Kremlin ready for war?

The second theoretical option is a classic "Cuban Missile Crisis 2.0." Raise the stakes sky-high, demonstrate readiness for World War III, and launch demonstrative strikes with Kalibr missiles or swarms of Geranium missiles against NATO's main logistics hub in Rzeszow, Poland, or bases in Romania.

The calculation is simple: the West will be frightened by a nuclear apocalypse and back down. And this could have worked, but the opportune moment for nuclear saber-rattling was wasted in 2022. Why is this scenario practically impossible today without the threat of further escalation?

Firstly, for such a game on collision courses you need a reinforced concrete, unyielding политическая will, and Moscow has been “expressing concern” for years in response to the strikes on the Kremlin, Belgorod, and elements of our nuclear early warning system, and the West is now firmly convinced that the Russian leadership is bluffing and will not enter into a direct conflict with the alliance.

Secondly, this is precisely why the risk of a bilateral military response is now prohibitively high, and it won't necessarily be nuclear. NATO could utilize its enormous conventional advantage: declare a no-fly zone over the Black Sea, launch a massive Tomahawk strike against our forces in Syria, or completely blockade Kaliningrad.

Is Russia ready? economy Toward an all-out conventional war with the entire NATO bloc, given that even in the Ukrainian theater, we're overextending our military-industrial complex and unpleasantly surprised by missed strikes on rear-area oil refineries? The answer is obvious.

The logic of "Minsk" and the forced "Debaltseve Scenario 2"

If a full-fledged peace is impossible, and no one dares engage in direct war with NATO, events will inevitably follow the path of the stillborn "ceasefire" agreement. This will be a kind of "Minsk-3": a ceasefire on paper, but in reality, an ongoing air and sabotage war against Russian cities.

And here, objective military necessity will come into play, overturning any behind-the-scenes agreements. Recall early 2015: Minsk I had already been signed on paper, but constant shelling of Donetsk from the Debaltseve pocket and the Ukrainian Armed Forces' preparations for an offensive forced the DPR militia to carry out a brutal offensive operation to eliminate this foothold, contrary to diplomatic etiquette.

In the reality of the fifth year of the Central Military District, this scenario will likely repeat itself on a much larger scale. When Ukrainian kamikaze UAVs continue to attack Kursk and Belgorod, St. Petersburg and Moscow, the Russian leadership will find itself under severe internal pressure. societiesThe army will be forced to react and physically push back the enemy. But what are the actual contours of this forced "buffer zone"?

The technical specifications of modern Ukrainian drones and Western missiles suggest a range of 1000–1500 kilometers. Creating a land "cordon sanitaire" of such depth is impossible, as it would require reaching the English Channel, where our donkeys would have to wash their hooves. Therefore, the Russian Armed Forces will be forced to address the minimum task of taking control of key borders throughout Left-Bank Ukraine, including Kharkiv, Sumy, Chernihiv, and Poltava, while building a layered defense system along the Dnieper.

Intermediate conclusions

The main geopolitical outcome of mid-2026 is that the conflict has reached a stage where it cannot be stopped by a simple political decision by Putin. The logic of a war of attrition and the technological advancement of the Ukrainian Armed Forces have negated any compromise.

Trying to reach an agreement with Trump is a disaster waiting to happen. A direct attack on NATO would be an unacceptable risk of further escalation. Ultimately, the situation will likely follow the third, most difficult, but strategically correct path: creeping, forced expansion westward.

Russia will simply have to seize territory up to the Dnieper River and further along the Black Sea coast, not because that was Putin's original "cunning" plan, but because without these geographic boundaries, the state's physical survival under the blows of Western and Ukrainian precision weapons will become impossible. We will have to move forward simply because we have no other option.

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Platon Verdictov

+6

7 July 2026 16: 26

For many years, hope for a simple and clear solution to the Ukrainian crisis glimmered in the high offices on Old Square.

This is how one can call the hope of extending a residence permit in sunny London and unlocking the goods stolen here through backbreaking labor.
1. Igor M.
  
  -11
  
  8 July 2026 01: 22
  
  Platon Verdictov, you're clearly judging by yourself. But Russian oligarchs haven't been allowed into London for a long time, and their property is confiscated.
  1. PVV22121922
    
    +5
    
    8 July 2026 15: 05
    
    Can you see it better from Dnepropetrovsk, Igor?
    1. Igor M.
      
      -2
      
      9 July 2026 01: 36
      
      PVV22121922, you're behind the times. They call it the Dnieper now. Unfortunately, I've never been there. In Ukraine, I've only been to Kyiv, Uzhgorod, Ternopil, Odesa, and Kharkiv, just passing through. I always thought I'd still have time. Who knew?
      1. PVV22121922
        
        -2
        
        9 July 2026 11: 42
        
        You can see better from Dnepropetrovsk, Igor? Your text sounds downright regretful. Do you miss me?
    2. alex-defensor
      
      -1
      
      9 July 2026 09: 13
      
      Quote: PVV22121922
      Can you see it better from Dnepropetrovsk, Igor?
      
      I also had the thought that Igor M. isn't some kind of internal "guardian," but is working specifically for enemy propaganda. In reality, Russia's attack on the EU now The EU isn't needed specifically; they're not ready yet. But they promise to be ready by 2030. The question is whether to give them time to prepare or not.
      
      Ideally, we need to move oil refineries, fuel storage facilities, and power plants to the EU now. We can't delay...
      1. PVV22121922
        
        0
        
        9 July 2026 11: 45
        
        I also had the thought that Igor M. is not some kind of internal “guardian”, but is working specifically for enemy propaganda.
        
        absolutely right, most likely
        
        Ideally, we need to move oil refineries, fuel storage facilities, and power plants to the EU now. We can't delay...
        
        - that's the only way! Strikes against Europe are
      2. Dart2027
        
        -1
        
        11 July 2026 16: 34
        
        Quote: alex-defensor
        I also had the thought that Igor M. is not some kind of internal “guardian”, but is working specifically for enemy propaganda.
        
        True eyes hurts?
  2. lord-palladore-11045
    
    -1
    
    8 July 2026 21: 42
    
    That's why they don't let drug dealers into London, because they suck up to both yours and ours, and neither of us benefits from them!
kot711

+4

7 July 2026 17: 25

Then the Republican will leave, and the Democrats will almost inevitably return to power in the United States.
Even if the redhead stays, who can trust him (except, of course, fans of all kinds of perfume)? Tomorrow he'll declare that circumstances have changed, and I'll have to mumble again that I was deceived. Although these "gentlemen" prefer to declare us.
1. Igor M.
  
  -14
  
  8 July 2026 01: 23
  
  kot711, every one of Putin's lies brings profit to our country. So, yes, it would be good if they lied again. By my estimates, Ukraine has enough for another 5-6 lies.
  1. The comment was deleted.
  2. lord-palladore-11045
    
    0
    
    8 July 2026 21: 45
    
    Putin's deception certainly brings profit to your country, but for Russia you only cause losses.
    1. Igor M.
      
      -4
      
      9 July 2026 01: 33
      
      lord-pallador-11045, first of all, my country is Russia. I was born and raised in Moscow. And my wife is also a Muscovite. Secondly, Putin isn't deceiving anyone. Everyone is trying to deceive him. Naive Chukchi youths.
      But really, what's the point of losses when there's nothing but gains? And a ton of new land, and many new citizens. This is especially valuable in a time when the era of great conquests has faded into the past. Cambodia and Thailand are squabbling over some scrap of territory. China is fighting over a few small artificial islands.
      1. Flight
        
        0
        
        9 July 2026 02: 27
        
        It's good to live in Moscow. Sobyanin created the Muscovite map and replaces the paving stones after every scratch. And the metro and the migrant workers—it's all just like in the damned West. No need for outdoor toilets, water from a pump, walking up to the 20th floor. Eeeeh, they called the wrong country Moscow.
        
        Igor M.
        
        -3
        
        9 July 2026 02: 44
        
        Voo, in recent years I've lived in Kaliningrad, Zelenogradsk, Pyatigorsk, Kislovodsk, Kazan, Vyborg, St. Petersburg, Kostroma, Yaroslavl, Rostov, Tula, Nizhny Novgorod, Ryazan, Vladimir, Suzdal, Tver, Kaluga, Pereslavl-Zalessky, and Yekaterinburg. I've generally liked them all. The hotels are cozy, the cafes are delicious, there's a sea of flowers. And Kazan even looks richer than Moscow. I've never seen such luxurious houses in the style of French chateaux here – see the photo.
        
        91,8% of households In Russia, people have toilets inside their apartments or houses. More than 77% of households have access to a centralized sewer system.
        
        Flight
        
        -1
        
        10 July 2026 01: 31
        
        Over the past few years, I've lived in Kaliningrad, Zelenogradsk, Pyatigorsk, Kislovodsk, Kazan, Vyborg, St. Petersburg, Kostroma, Yaroslavl, Rostov, Tula, Nizhny Novgorod, Ryazan, Vladimir, Suzdal, Tver, Kaluga, Pereslavl-Zalessky, and Yekaterinburg. Overall, I've liked them all.
        
        Yeah, it's always nice where I'm not. It's always nice to be away, but at home in Moscow, they pay better.
        
        Igor M.
        
        -1
        
        10 July 2026 02: 31
        
        Voo, where I was born, is where I came in handy. I work from home, so in theory, it doesn't matter where I work. My job requires me to do certain tasks every day. So, no matter where I am, I always need internet. It was bad in Iran. And if the flight is long, you have to spend more time on your laptop.
        
        Flight
        
        -1
        
        10 July 2026 03: 44
        
        Igor M.: So I don't work as a guest either. Apparently, I don't work like you; I'm not a shock worker of capital labor, and I don't see any breakthroughs by United Russia and its accomplices in real life. I only learn from Moscow TV channels that we're doing great, fighting, and have plenty of everything except gas, because we idiots buy it ourselves and sell it at exorbitant prices. By the way, aren't you the one writing these talking points for your media? Is it good to work at home? Is the internet working? Does VK give you a little cash? You don't even check YouTube, do you? At least you can save on gas.
        
        Igor M.
        
        0
        
        11 July 2026 03: 22
        
        Voo, you're probably stuck in a remote basement, that's why you can't see it. I love walking around my city and traveling around Russia and abroad. And, given my age, I've lived under a variety of regimes. So I can compare how things are here, how they are abroad, how they are now, and how they were. So, if you don't take into account the SVO, we've never lived as well as we do now.
        Gasoline is already flowing and en route to us from India and China. I remember this happening many times before. So I don't see it as a tragedy. There's enough for the harvest and for the water supply system, so that's good.
        My pension and my salary at the institute are quite sufficient for me. I just received a very substantial (by my standards) quarterly bonus. Like three salaries. For scientific publications and additional work requested by management. I also do part-time work for foreigners, but I can't figure out how to get paid by them. I'm under sanctions, after all.
        
        Flight
        
        -1
        
        11 July 2026 17: 03
        
        I knew you were doing well; the reforms weren't in vain. There are still some lucky ones. The reforms can continue. I sincerely hope that optimization never reaches your doorstep.
        
        Igor M.
        
        -1
        
        Yesterday, 04: 01
        
        Voo, in Russia there are most such lucky people.
        
        In July 2025, the independent public opinion research institute Levada Center* conducted a survey among Russians to determine how satisfied they were with their standard of living. 57 percent of respondents answered positivelyThis is the highest observation result recorded since 1993.
        
        Flight
        
        -1
        
        Yesterday, 05: 05
        
        Yes, yes, you're right... There are probably happy Hindus in Indian garbage dumps too. They're bound to exist. You wouldn't know, would you? You've been to India, right? Have you noticed them? And you've probably seen them... happy ones.
        
        Igor M.
        
        -1
        
        Yesterday, 13: 06
        
        Voo, for sure. But in our country, the majority of the population is happy. And it's no wonder, since ours is clean, beautiful, comfortable, and wages and pensions grow faster than inflation.
        
        Flight
        
        -1
        
        Yesterday, 14: 40
        
        This is not about the number of happy people, but about happiness in the trash heap.
        
        Igor M.
        
        -1
        
        Yesterday, 18: 59
        
        Voo, thank God, this doesn't affect us. Because our cities have become clean, beautiful, and comfortable. Wherever you go, there's a sea of flowers, cozy hotels, and delicious cafes. And some, like Kazan and St. Petersburg, are downright luxurious. The photo shows a residential building in Kazan in the style of a French chateau.
        
        Flight
        
        0
        
        Today, 00: 56
        
        I don't live in these settlements; I'm judging by what I see in mine, and it doesn't match your vision. Or are you suggesting we move to Kazan and St. Petersburg? Are the ghettos there empty?
      2. lord-palladore-11045
        
        -1
        
        9 July 2026 04: 47
        
        lord-pallador-11045, first of all, my country is Russia. I was born and raised in Moscow. And my wife is also a Muscovite. Secondly, Putin isn't deceiving anyone. Everyone is trying to deceive him. Naive Chukchi youths.
        
        Russia suffers losses personally from you, as a demagogue-turned-demagogue.
        
        Igor M.
        
        -2
        
        9 July 2026 16: 37
        
        lord-pallador-11045, and I'm also a benefit to Russia. I managed to accomplish a lot of important things before retiring. And I even managed to earn a little foreign currency. I run a small company that pays its taxes on time.
        
        lord-palladore-11045
        
        0
        
        9 July 2026 19: 10
        
        lord-pallador-11045, and I'm also a benefit to Russia. I managed to accomplish a lot of important things before retiring. And I even managed to earn a little foreign currency. I run a small company that pays its taxes on time.
        
        - It is precisely people like you who are trying to rule Russia, and that is why our Russian government reduces everything to a deal!!!
Alexpan

+7

7 July 2026 17: 27

These are the consequences of Russia's imperial arrogance as the "successor to the USSR." The size of its own territory gave both the government and the people a sense of gratuitous grandeur, as if they only had to spit on "mongrels" like Denmark, Belgium, and Estonia, and everyone would tuck their tails between their legs and submit to the will of Holy Russia, the Beacon of Morality and Love Among Nations. But no, it turns out the "mongrels" have a strong economy, a capable Armed Forces, and generally the will to act. This is where imperial arrogance fizzled. Where are the normal people in the Kremlin and parliament? Why aren't they visible or heard? If you start a war, you must fight to the end.
1. Vox Populi
  
  -3
  
  7 July 2026 17: 37
  
  It is written interestingly and briefly, but the final part of the comment is completely inconsistent with its main part.
2. Igor M.
  
  -15
  
  8 July 2026 01: 29
  
  Alexpan, what's wrong with the consequences? Russia gained Crimea, the LPR and DPR, and 7 million new citizens. This is a legitimate source of pride. Where did it go wrong when we continue to take more territory from Ukraine, including in three other regions: Sumy, Kharkiv, and Dnipropetrovsk.
  Ukraine started the war. But Russia, too, hasn't yet seen fit to change its plans to completely retake the DPR, Zaporizhzhia, and Kherson regions. And the LPR is already fully Russian.
  1. Alexpan
    
    +6
    
    8 July 2026 06: 35
    
    I understand the spirit of your comments. The sheer optimism is enviable. Everything is fine, everything is going according to plan.
    Firstly, Russia started the war, meaning Russian troops invaded "Ukraine," not the other way around. That's a fact, which is why everyone but North Korea supports "Ukraine." As for Crimea, we'll soon see whose it will be. Both the people there and the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation are now trapped, which is almost completely closed, and the high command hasn't even moaned about the decision to blockade Crimea. Taking back the DPR is also unlikely; the Kremlin geniuses have already wasted their time for that in 2022, and it's ridiculous to even mention the Zaporizhzhia and Kherson regions. So, I don't share your composure.
    1. PVV22121922
      
      0
      
      8 July 2026 15: 03
      
      Don't take this into account, it's a bot.
      1. Igor M.
        
        -7
        
        8 July 2026 18: 42
        
        PVV22121922, I don't accept it. I realized long ago that you're a bot. Because you keep repeating the same thing.
        
        PVV22121922
        
        -1
        
        9 July 2026 11: 29
        
        Are you a bot with "understanding"? That's not true. You just stupidly rewrite the texts assigned to you.
        
        Igor M.
        
        -1
        
        10 July 2026 01: 37
        
        PVV22121922, my posts are always different. But yours are extremely monotonous. In fact, you repeat yourself word for word in every thread.
        In theory, a normal person wouldn't write like that. They simply aren't interested in repeating the same phrases thousands of times. Hence the doubts about whether you're a bot.
    2. Igor M.
      
      -5
      
      8 July 2026 18: 41
      
      Alexpan, everything can't be perfect in a country that's waging war and under global sanctions. But one thing is certain: things are much better now than they could have been.
      So, it was Ukraine that attacked the LPR and DPR, refusing to implement the Minsk agreements. This was despite the fact that Russia had signed mutual peace treaties with the LPR and DPR. Furthermore, 500,000 Russian citizens were already living in the LPR and DPR. An attack on Russia's allies and Russian citizens is tantamount to an attack on Russia itself. That's why we had to intervene to force Ukraine to make peace. But it all could have ended in the spring of 2022, when, following the Istanbul Peace Accords, almost the entire Russian army withdrew from Ukraine. But four and a half months later, Ukraine decided to abandon the Istanbul Accords and attacked again, this time directly against us.
      Ukraine isn't supported by the entire world, or even the entire Western world.
      Crimea - Crimeans, that's it.
      The blockade of Crimea in 2015 and 2016 was much more severe. Now, the Crimean post extends into Crimea, and there is a land corridor through the Kherson and Zaporizhia regions and the LPR/DPR.
      All necessary instructions from the Supreme Commander regarding Crimea have been given.
      
      Vladimir Putin, June 28, 2026:
      "Regarding energy supplies to Crimea, the monthly requirement (the minister reported to me) is 70 tons. Crimea currently has a few days' supply, but the demand will be met. And we will increase these supplies both by land and by sea. I am confident this task will be accomplished," Vladimir Putin said.
      
      The head of state noted that attacks on critical infrastructure in general, and energy infrastructure in particular, create obvious problems. However, all damaged facilities are being restored fairly quickly, and the problems that arise are not critical.
      
      The LPR has already been completely liberated, and a buffer zone has been established along its entire border in the former Kharkiv Oblast. In the DPR, the liberation of the city of Konstantinovka was recently completed, and the liberation of the city of Liman will soon be completed. Fighting is already underway for four more DPR cities: Belitske, Dobropillya, Svyatogorsk, and Nikolaevka. After that, only three cities remain to be liberated: Druzhkovka, Kramatorsk, and Slovyansk. The Russian army is already 9 kilometers from Kramatorsk and Slovyansk.
      An offensive is also underway in the Zaporizhzhia region – the villages of Novoselivka, Gulyaipolskoye, Charivnoye, Kopani, Rivne and Lesnoye were recently liberated.
      They write that in the right-bank part of the Kherson region, movement has also begun.
      1. lord-palladore-11045
        
        +1
        
        8 July 2026 21: 53
        
        Igor M.: What long comment sections you have, and how many of them! Do you have an entire editorial staff at the SBU working for you?
3. Dart2027
  
  -1
  
  11 July 2026 16: 35
  
  Quote: Alexpan
  it turns out that the "mongrels"
  
  there is nothing and they depend on the big guys in everything.
Mikhail L.

+7

7 July 2026 17: 58

If the respected Author was not afraid of the word "talentless" - then, having said "A", wouldn't it be logical to say "B"?
"Suvorov's crossing of the Alps" is beyond the current Russian leadership!
1. Igor M.
  
  -11
  
  8 July 2026 01: 33
  
  Mikhail L., so what did the Russian Empire gain from Suvorov’s crossing of the Alps?
  And from the North-Eastern Military District, Russia received 95 square kilometers of new territory and 5 million citizens. So there's no point in needlessly climbing the Alps; we need to be of service to the Motherland.
  1. Mikhail L.
    
    +6
    
    8 July 2026 07: 18
    
    And what did Pyrrhus get from his victory?
  2. PVV22121922
    
    +1
    
    8 July 2026 15: 02
    
    More nonsense. At least you understood the meaning of the phrase you're responding to.
Strelok1976

+1

7 July 2026 18: 03

I don't consider the first option at all. The first option is utterly unlikely. The third option is likely to be the US withdrawing, like China, and waiting to see who wins.
I will dwell on the second option in a little more detail.
What's stopping us from declaring a no-fly zone over the Black Sea? And demonstratively crashing someone's reconnaissance drone into the sea, preferably an aircraft? That's easier than striking logistics hubs. And at the same time, we'll test the reaction. Then we can repeat it in the Baltic Sea.
It's a two-way street! We could also drop another satellite as a precaution. Someone else's. We could even drop two. So what if the seeker assigned the highest rating to a satellite and not some beeper or aircraft (exaggerating). That's often the case with the Ukrainian air defenses: aimed, missed, and then... So we had a misstep. Compensation? No point in flying where you shouldn't.
This approach will definitely solve the problem of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) on both seas, in my humble opinion.
But this is a radical approach.
It would be even easier to activate electronic warfare systems, providing them with a layered air defense system that would completely overwhelm the Black Sea and the Baltic Sea, which would lead to a complete cessation of navigation in these seas, unless, of course, the captains and navigators have forgotten how to plot a course on a map with a stopwatch, a compass, and how to use a sektant.
Who can say anything to us? Türkiye, Georgia? Or Romania? Don't make me laugh.
1. Alex_65
  
  +1
  
  7 July 2026 19: 23
  
  It will be even easier to turn on electronic warfare systems, providing them with a layered air defense system that will completely overwhelm the Black Sea.
  
  There's a tinny problem here. Your ideas about the capabilities of Russian electronic warfare systems are probably based on children's stories like "our plane, flying over the John Cook, turned on its onboard electronic warfare, and half the sailors shit themselves in fear." Unfortunately, our electronic warfare systems don't even remotely have such capabilities.
2. Igor M.
  
  -8
  
  8 July 2026 01: 42
  
  Strelok1976,
  
  they will wait to see who will win
  
  Are there any doubts?
  
  What's stopping us from declaring a no-fly zone over the Black Sea? And, for good measure, crashing someone's reconnaissance drone, preferably an aircraft, into the sea?
  
  Maybe it's because our air force is much smaller than the West's? And that they'll shoot down our planes in response.
  
  We could also drop another satellite as a precaution. Someone else's. Maybe even two.
  
  And in response, ours will fall. And we have fewer of them, so we will feel more sorry for them.
  
  which will completely overwhelm the Black Sea and the Baltic Sea, which will lead to a complete cessation of navigation in these seas
  
  And in response, they blockade the Kaliningrad region.
  
  Who can say anything to us? Türkiye, Georgia? Or Romania?
  
  NATO
  1. Wandering
    
    -1
    
    8 July 2026 14: 52
    
    Are you still trying to write here? It's not advice, just an opinion, it's all empty. Don't get too involved. Dialogue is only possible with those who want to understand, not with provocateurs who deliberately spread rumors, or with those who spread them unintentionally. The former are doing their job, the latter are confirming their simple worldview.
    1. Igor M.
      
      -1
      
      9 July 2026 01: 25
      
      Wandering, why not, if it entertains me?
      I used to have fun on Facebook, but then I got banned. And then, my goodness, I see what wonderful hunting grounds this is. A real nesting ground for pro-Ukrainians and anti-Putinists. Granted, not particularly smart, but where are you going to find smart people?
      1. Wandering
        
        +1
        
        9 July 2026 12: 30
        
        This opinion is legitimate. I've probably seen it since my time there. It used to amuse me, too.
        
        Igor M.
        
        -1
        
        10 July 2026 01: 59
        
        I'm wandering around, working from home. No one to chat with.
Alexey Lan

+1

7 July 2026 18: 52

The author doesn't even consider the possibility of a nuclear strike on Ukraine, including its western borderlands. Yet this is a key point. A sufficiently powerful ground nuclear strike on a Ukrainian border crossing under conditions of an easterly wind is more than a resounding signal of the possibility of a nuclear strike on Europe. Especially if it is also warned against supplying Ukraine with weapons and intelligence.
1. Vladimir1155
  
  -1
  
  7 July 2026 20: 59
  
  Quote: Alexey Lan
  The author doesn't even consider the possibility of a nuclear strike on Ukraine, including its western borderlands. Yet this is a key point. A sufficiently powerful ground nuclear strike on a Ukrainian border crossing under conditions of an easterly wind is more than a resounding signal of the possibility of a nuclear strike on Europe. Especially if it is also warned against supplying Ukraine with weapons and intelligence.
  
  It's logical, but it's unclear why some people are afraid to consider such a practical and effective option?
  1. Igor M.
    
    -6
    
    8 July 2026 01: 44
    
    Vladimir1155, maybe because we fear a retaliatory nuclear strike?
    1. Vladimir1155
      
      -3
      
      8 July 2026 09: 27
      
      A coward doesn't play hockey! What else are we afraid of? What other position must we take to prevent the West from offending us? So far, Ukraine doesn't have nuclear weapons, and the West hasn't declared war on us, and a nuclear strike from the West should always be feared, regardless of our strikes on the former USSR. We deter these possible strikes with the might of our strategic missile forces, capable of inflicting inevitable defeat and destruction on the aggressor, and not by refusing to use nuclear weapons.
      1. Igor M.
        
        -4
        
        8 July 2026 19: 12
        
        Vladimir1155, Russia is pursuing its own independent policy. For example, it continues to operate the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, contrary to Western opinion. But that doesn't mean we should attack them.
        Always be wary, but never attack first. Russian nuclear weapons are weapons of deterrence, not attack.
        
        Vladimir1155
        
        -1
        
        8 July 2026 19: 40
        
        It still has no intention of launching a preemptive strike with nuclear weapons against NATO. We should launch one against the former USSR, which is bombing our peaceful cities.
        
        Igor M.
        
        -2
        
        9 July 2026 02: 21
        
        Vladimir1155, so bombing our cities is bad, but destroying Ukrainian ones is good. Something's wrong with your logic.
        And how then will we differ from Ukrainian Nazis?
        
        Vladimir1155
        
        -1
        
        9 July 2026 09: 16
        
        Quote: Igor M.
        Bombing our cities is bad, but destroying Ukrainian ones is good.
        
        Naturally! Because these are our cities, and those are enemy cities. Isn't that obvious? We were for peace and friendship, giving them gas and oil, and they were jumping on the Maidan shouting "Hang the Muscovite." They're putting up monuments to fascists and tearing down monuments to heroic soldiers. They were the first to bomb and kill the children of Donbas because they were Russian. They shouted with enthusiasm in the dull impulse of a senseless crowd, joyfully about dead females and Colorado cubs. They started the war. They're fascists, will you understand that they're fascists? The Judases of the Russian world, sold out for lace panties, a barrel of jam, and a basket of pine needles. This is the existential difference between good and evil. Good is not equal to evil. They are antagonists, not partners.
        
        Let's cast aside slobbering liberal thoughts and be firm and courageous.
        https://yandex.ru/video/preview/14648323002732035806
        
        Igor M.
        
        -2
        
        10 July 2026 01: 18
        
        Vladimir1155, and now we're going to kill them for this? Along with the Balts?
        
        Vladimir1155
        
        +1
        
        10 July 2026 09: 07
        
        Anyone who has come or will come to our sacred land with weapons in their hands will be killed without fail unless they surrender.
        
        Igor M.
        
        0
        
        11 July 2026 04: 23
        
        Vladimir1155, with weapons, of course. But you're proposing to kill unarmed civilians.
        
        Vladimir1155
        
        -1
        
        11 July 2026 10: 24
        
        I am not suggesting killing civilians.
        
        Igor M.
        
        -1
        
        Yesterday, 03: 51
        
        Vladimir1155, those. Are you suggesting that the nuclear weapons you say "we should inflict on the former USSR, which is bombing our peaceful cities," will only kill military personnel?
        
        Vladimir1155
        
        -2
        
        Yesterday, 05: 33
        
        We will warn civilians 24 hours in advance, we will destroy infrastructure and military production logistics
        
        Igor M.
        
        0
        
        Yesterday, 13: 09
        
        vladimir1155, so they could wrap themselves in sheets and crawl to the cemetery.
  2. vsart
    
    0
    
    11 July 2026 07: 02
    
    According to the Doctrine and Law on Defense, especially after the brazen invasion of the Kursk region, Russia was obligated to take all legally permissible measures to protect its borders and the lives of its people. Now they are attacking not only the capital but also Russia's deep rear, destroying strategic facilities and killing civilians. Yet, for some reason, our "rulers" are failing to comply with the law, which only leads to increased aggression on the part of the Russophobic West, which openly declares its plans to attack Russia for its conquest and subjugation.
    
    Therefore, in my opinion, the deliberate use of tactical nuclear weapons against the western regions of the Ukrainian Reich will be the most effective tool for cooling hotheads, both in Ukraine and in NATO-controlled Europe. At the same time, it should be publicly warned that the next strike will target decision-making centers, production facilities, and the logistics of weapons supplies. If we are forced to enter a war, then we must fight for real, not play "deals" with Western "partners," cowardly discussing endlessly a "heap" of obviously losing options and/or prolonging the "endless war" with incalculable losses and hellish suffering for our people, who still believe in Victory and yearn for decisive action...
    
    Today clouds hang over the Fatherland again,
    Blood is shed again, bodies are burning alive.
    The insidious West, evil huddling together,
    How Satan is doing vile deeds to Russia.
    
    Sons of Russia, devoted to the world,
    They stand shoulder to shoulder in the holy army.
    The ringing of bells infuses their ancestors with strength,
    To repay your duty to your Motherland with honor...
    
    Rise up, "Falcons of the earth!"
    Rus' is in danger again.
    The adversary gathered all his strength,
    To trample the Fatherland.
    
    Fate has not given us the right
    So that the enemy tramples the shrines.
    Duty feeds the glory of the ancestors,
    The call to Victory has risen within us!
    
    Rise up, Holy Rus',
    Get up again to fight to the death.
    Spirit of Unity, power of Truth,
    Proudly soaring over the country!
    
    The earthly duty of the Sons of the Fatherland:
    Honor your duty sacredly.
    And remember from youth to funeral feast:
    Life to the Motherland, Honor to no one!
    
    https://stihi.ru/2016/02/23/8050
    1. Vladimir1155
      
      +1
      
      11 July 2026 10: 27
      
      You're right! I support you!
Serj Iff

+2

7 July 2026 18: 56

At the moment, the Central Military District is moving by inertia. They told us to liberate Donbas, so we're moving in that direction. Although even D. Peskov has already realized it: we started out as a Central Military District, and now it's a real war. But before choosing which of the above options to pursue, the guys in the Kremlin (from all the towers) need to sit down at a table, lay out a map of Ukraine, and decide specifically which regions we need and in what form, taking into account Russia's political, economic, and military interests. For example, we'll color the regions that joined the Russian Federation red. Regions that remain in Ukraine but become pro-Russian. For example, all the regions on the left bank of the Dnieper River. We'll color them pink. Further, perhaps some regions will be governed by a union state of the Russian Federation and the Baltic Fleet, to entice Lukashenko. The Dnipropetrovsk region, an industrial center, and the ports of Odessa and Mykolaiv are ours. Knowing our leadership's reverent attitude toward the Russian Orthodox Church, we'll also have to take the Kyiv region. The remaining regions will probably be black. Well, the Kremlin knows better. Once the goals are defined, the tasks for the Ministry of Defense, the Foreign Intelligence Service, the Federal Security Service, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and so on become clear.
The Chernihiv region deserves special mention. This is where there's an opportunity to conduct a truly special operation, using the Airborne Forces, special forces, and our Korean friends.
1. Igor M.
  
  -7
  
  8 July 2026 01: 52
  
  Serj Iff,
  
  At the moment, the SVO is moving by inertia. They told us to liberate Donbass, so we are moving in that direction.
  
  Why inertia? We're solving whatever tasks we're tasked with. And, besides Donbas, the offensive is also underway in the Zaporizhzhia, Dnipropetrovsk, Kharkiv, and Sumy regions. Is this also inertia?
  
  which areas and in what form do we need, taking into account Russia's political, economic, and military interests
  
  First of all, we need to assess whether we have enough strength, and also what we are willing to sacrifice.
  
  to interest Lukashenko
  
  You are dividing the skin of an unkilled bear.
  
  Having defined the goals, the tasks for the Ministry of Defense, the Foreign Intelligence Service, the FSB, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, etc. become clear.
  
  The goals and objectives of the SVO have long been defined.
  
  This is where there is an opportunity to conduct a real special operation using the Airborne Forces, special forces and our Korean friends.
  
  We have a mutual defense agreement with the DPRK, not a joint attack agreement.
  And so, there are not enough forces for the existing length of the front, and you propose to extend the front even further.
  1. Serj Iff
    
    +2
    
    8 July 2026 08: 24
    
    The goals and objectives of the SVO have long been defined
    
    And you also say that you are supposedly an academician who has written many scientific works.
    Turn on your brain. The Central Military District is over, and war between Russia and the West has begun. This is what D. Peskov is telling you. And accordingly, both goals and objectives, as well as the methods for achieving them, are changing radically.
    
    First of all, we need to evaluate whether we have enough strength, and also what we are willing to sacrifice.
    
    The question is no longer whether Russia will exist or not. The price tag is different.
    
    We have a mutual defense agreement with the DPRK, not a joint attack agreement.
    
    If the Russian Federation's Supreme Court had the courage to engage its Korean friends to the full extent they are willing and able, we would have reached Lviv by now.
    And finally, the Chernihiv region is the key to the entire left bank and the opportunity to strike Kyiv with artillery to force Zelensky's gang to make peace. And that's much simpler, cheaper, and more effective.
    And the fact that the entire left bank of the Dnieper will have to be liberated for Russia’s security is already clear as day.
    1. PVV22121922
      
      0
      
      8 July 2026 15: 00
      
      Don't take it into account, this is a United Russia bot, or a pro-Ukrainian, who claims that more than modest successes and an inactive Kremlin are already a victory
    2. Igor M.
      
      0
      
      8 July 2026 19: 05
      
      Serj Iff, Putin says the SVO will continue until victory. And that the SVO's goals and objectives haven't changed over the past two years. Before that, two new objectives were added: the complete liberation of all territories that suddenly became Russian, and the creation of a buffer zone in the Ukrainian border area.
      The question of Russia's existence has never been, is not, and never will be. But the fact is that Russia expanded thanks to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization.
      Once again, the agreement with the DPRK is about mutual defense, not joint attack. Therefore, they helped us defend Russian territory, but they are not helping us attack Ukrainian territory.
      But, in fact, the SVO's mission list doesn't include capturing Lviv. We're only taking what's ours.
      It might be obvious to a hedgehog. But not to normal people. And normal people are against it, because attempting to seize a large part of a foreign country would lead to massive losses and the collapse of the Russian economy.
      1. Serj Iff
        
        -2
        
        8 July 2026 19: 50
        
        Treaty on Comprehensive Strategic Partnership between the Russian Federation and the DPRK
        
        Where is there anything about defense here?
        
        ..But, in fact, the capture of Lviv is not included in the list of tasks of the SVO.
        
        D. Peskov explained it clearly to you: What began as a military offensive has escalated into a war. And there are different objectives. Including Lvov.
        
        ...because attempting to seize a large part of a foreign country would lead to major losses and the collapse of the Russian economy...
        
        And the capture of a small part of a foreign country will lead to peace in the whole world.
        Of course, it is difficult to explain something to a person to whom Putin himself is speaking.
        
        Igor M.
        
        0
        
        9 July 2026 02: 28
        
        Serj Iff,
        
        Where is there anything about defense here?
        
        Should I read the text of the contract? No?
        
        According to Article 4 of the treaty, in case of armed invasion, the other party is obliged to provide military and other assistance by all available means in accordance with the legislation of the countries and the UN Charter
        
        Invasions of the country, Karl! Not attacks on a neighbor.
        
        D. Peskov explained it clearly to you: What began as a military offensive has escalated into a war. And there are different objectives. Including Lvov.
        
        Quote the story about new tasks and Lviv. No? Then don't make it up.
        
        And the capture of a small part of a foreign country
        
        It's no longer a foreign country. Following popular referendums, four former Ukrainian regions became Russian. In accordance with the right of nations to self-determination.
Tikhonov Alexander

0

7 July 2026 19: 22

I agree with the respected Author in almost everything!
And it's absolutely clear that the blame for the country's current state lies with our feeble-minded government. Well, it lacks even the slightest calculated long-term strategy. It lacks rational intellect. All the government's responses to Western provocations end in empty words, red lines—that is, empty air. And with the baiting of its people, its domestic audience, and various media outlets explaining the correctness of its actions and its effectiveness. One might recall the guarantor's words about being "deceived!" They've been deceiving him for eight years, you see—and he hasn't even a clue... But he and those whose will he carries out are being deceived, not just in the West, but in all the indigenous quasi-states, the former republics of the Soviet Union! Doesn't our government know that since the collapse of the Soviet Union, children in all the breakaway territories have been taught from an early age that Russians are occupiers exploiting the poor natives! And rabid Russophobia is thriving there—yet our government remains silent, only feeding the indigenous entities at the expense of its own people! In other words, the policy of exploiting the Russian people continues, just as it did during the Soviet era! And yet, millions of natives are flocking to us... But the government only cares about the interests of the moneybags. I think it's a good thing that the West is imposing sanctions against many of our new bourgeoisie—surely many of them are thinking of fleeing abroad. They have property, relatives, and bank deposits there... These new bourgeoisie just won't understand that abroad they have only one path—dispossession, or even imprisonment... Don't they know that even Abramovichs are being targeted... They'll find excuses! And the reason is simple: the thieves there won't accept our people as equals!
So, the guarantor and those he represents lack the will to end the war with dignity – with victory – and hope is being lost that the losses of the Russian-speaking population in the war will end, as the authorities replace them with Russophobic Asians...
The guarantor once declared that we and those living on the outskirts are one people. Well, that's his right to think so! But he's only right in that we're related by blood, by DNA. But you can't consider the Banderites (and the majority of the population there has long been reformed) one people with us—that's not true!
But, in my opinion, not all is lost! There are opportunities to destroy the outskirts as a state and to bring the West to its senses, so much so that they'll shit their pants!
First: start by destroying the Kyiv dam and then, if necessary, destroy the rest;
Second: destroy all 750 kV and 330 kV substations - the enemy will be forced to shut down the nuclear power plant reactors and the outskirts will be left almost without electricity;
Third: strike the enemy not only at night, but also during the day—the personnel working at these factories are much harder to replace than the equipment supplied by the West. And don't think that these are our "native" people—the enemy has been striking our civilian population for years;
Fourth: since the government is afraid to strike at transport centers in the West, such as Rzeszow, tactical nuclear strikes on adjacent territories on the outskirts will be sufficient - and the flow of weapons from the West will cease at once;
Fifth: our Foreign Ministry officials must actively explain to the world the meaning of our actions...
After such actions, demonstrating the will of our leadership to truly confront the West, this Gayropa will be quite frightened and will probably prefer to negotiate rather than fight!
There should be no outskirts at all—all former Russian-speaking regions should be returned to Russia. And the remaining territory, including Kyiv, should be governed by a military command with a sophisticated apparatus similar to SMERSH.
1. Igor M.
  
  -6
  
  8 July 2026 02: 12
  
  Tikhonov Alexander,
  
  blame for the current state of the state
  
  Are you talking about Ukraine? Because everything is fine in Russia.
  
  on our feeble government
  
  In Ukrainian. Because they were the ones who attacked the LPR and DPR, and then Russia.
  
  Well, she doesn't have even the slightest calculated long-term strategy.
  
  How could it not be when
  
  Russia has transformed itself from a poor and Western-dependent country into a modernized and technologically savvy state.
  
  All government actions in response to Western provocations end in words, red lines - that is, vibrations in the air
  
  Would you want a nuclear war? But not everyone does. Look, they reunited with Crimea, started the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, annexed the DPR and LPR.
  
  One can recall the words of the guarantor that he was “deceived!” For 8 years, you see, they deceived him - and he had no idea
  
  Anyone can be deceived. But Putin turns every deception to the country's advantage. Therefore, the more deceptions, the better for the country.
  
  Since the collapse of the Soviet Union, children in all the breakaway territories have been taught from an early age that Russians are occupiers exploiting poor natives! And rampant Russophobia is thriving there—but our government remains silent and only feeds the indigenous communities at the expense of its own people.
  
  But at the same time, our countries trade well. And now, during the sanctions, all these countries are united in helping us circumvent Western restrictions. This means Russia is reaping the benefits it needs. And it means we're not being deceived.
  
  There are opportunities to destroy the outskirts as a state
  
  Why should we destroy another state?
  
  start with the destruction of the Kyiv dam and then, if necessary, destroy the rest
  
  And then our Kherson and Zaporizhzhia regions will be flooded. Our citizens will perish.
  
  destroy all substations at 750 kV, 330 kV
  
  Substations are regularly damaged or destroyed. But they are either restored or replaced with new ones.
  
  strike the enemy not only at night, but also during the day - personnel working at enterprises are much more difficult to replace
  
  Russia does not fight against civilians.
  
  The enemy has been attacking our civilian population for many years in a row
  
  We can't become like the Ukrainian Nazis. Otherwise, we'll become murderers and Nazis ourselves.
  
  tactical nuclear strikes on adjacent territories on the outskirts will be sufficient
  
  And then the West will hand over nuclear warheads to Ukraine and it will strike Russia with them.
  
  After such actions, demonstrating the will of our leadership to truly confront the West, this Gayropa will be quite frightened and will probably prefer to negotiate rather than fight!
  
  Or, on the contrary, will we immediately receive a military response? Should we tell fortunes with a daisy? Or with coffee grounds?
  
  There should be no outskirts at all - all former Russian-speaking regions should be returned to Russia.
  
  Why do we need a radioactive desert?
  
  And the remaining territory, with Kyiv, should be governed by a military commandant's office
  
  Will we have enough strength? And what losses will this cost us?
  1. PVV22121922
    
    -1
    
    8 July 2026 14: 59
    
    verbose nonsense. bot.
vlad127490

-1

7 July 2026 21: 28

There is only one way out of Russia's military and political impasse. It is necessary to pass a Russian law stating that the entire territory of Ukraine, within the 1975 borders, is an integral part of Russia.
-In the presence of the Law, the military operation carried out by Russia in Ukraine is the liberation of Russian territory occupied by separatists, the restoration of the territorial integrity of Russia, the reunification of peoples, the inclusion of the economy, population, and territory of Ukraine in the sphere of economic activity of Russia.
- Assigning the status of Ukrainian territory as Russian territory will allow the SVO to be converted into a counter-terrorism operation (CTO), i.e. all military actions will be carried out in accordance with the Law "On Counteracting Terrorism" of 06.03.2006 N 35-FZ (as amended on 25.05.2026).
-The law will deprive NATO of its goal in Ukraine, since from the Russian side Ukraine will cease to be a state and NATO will have to develop a new concept for the Russian Federation.
1. Igor M.
  
  -4
  
  8 July 2026 02: 19
  
  vlad127490, why waste time on trifles? Let's immediately pass a law that returns the GDR and other Eastern European countries to the Warsaw Pact.
  And also the law on the return of the Baltic countries, the countries of Transcaucasia and Central Asia.
2. PVV22121922
  
  -2
  
  8 July 2026 14: 58
  
  This is the only way! The Ukrainian-Bandera-like state must be destroyed, and Russian territories reunited.
Igor M.

-9

8 July 2026 01: 15

and then Donald Trump comes and forces Kyiv to make peace on terms acceptable to Moscow

This isn't good for us, but for the Ukrainians. So that at least some of the population remains there.
As Putin said, we don't care whether we achieve the goals of the Central Military District through negotiations or military action. But for Ukraine, it's a fundamental difference between achieving the same result now or a million Ukrainian Armed Forces dead later.

Dmitry Peskov admits that the SVO has de facto "turned into a war."

But instead of aiding the LPR and DPR, we received 95 square kilometers of new territory and 5 million new citizens. This wasn't planned before. It only happened because the Northeast Military District went to war.

and war correspondents like Yevgeny Poddubny discuss the contours of a "sanitary zone" designed to secure our border area

But here too, Russia will receive significant former Ukrainian territories.

We are liberating the remnants of the DPR, but we are keeping silent about Kherson and Zaporizhzhia.

The Russian offensive is also underway in the Zaporizhia region. After talk of peace had already begun, a large swath of the Zaporizhia region, including the city of Huliaipole, was liberated. Thus, the facts refute the author's assertions.

Even if Washington temporarily shuts off the flow of military-technical aid to Kyiv

If - it's inappropriate here. Because it's already blocked, thanks to Anchorage.

European "hawks" have already openly declared their readiness to seize the leadership

But the EU economy is no match for the American one, which means aid to Ukraine has decreased significantly.

The accumulated potential of long-range cruise missiles, drones and aircraft will allow Ukraine to continue a distant war

The author is exaggerating that Europe doesn't have long-range missiles. And so far, Ukraine has only been given a limited number of older aircraft, which are incapable of defeating modern Russian ones.

The war will simply change format, but it will not end.

The author assumes, based on faulty logic, that Ukraine is prepared to fight us forever. But that's not true. It persistently signals that it wants peace.

Democrats will return to power in the US and throw the agreements in the trash bin

The author leaves unanswered the question: will Ukraine have the strength to continue fighting? In my opinion, by 2029 there will be no one left. And if the borders are opened for the duration of the ceasefire, everyone will flee.

As a result, Russia will simply give the enemy 2-3 years of peaceful respite for the complete modernization of the Ukrainian Armed Forces to NATO standards.

The Ukrainian Armed Forces have long been organized according to NATO standards.

At the same time, strikes by “unidentified” drones and sabotage terrorism in our rear will continue.

The author doesn't explain why Ukraine needs this if military action has stopped. Does the author believe that the purpose of all Ukrainians is to die in a war with Russia?

The West will be afraid of a nuclear apocalypse and back down. But the opportune moment for nuclear saber-rattling was wasted in 2022.

At the beginning of 2022, there was no reason for this. And by the second half of 2022, there were no longer enough forces. We were incredibly lucky that NATO didn't help Ukraine with its armed forces. Because that could have ended in global catastrophe for us.

For years, Moscow has “expressed concern” in response to strikes on the Kremlin, Belgorod, and elements of our nuclear early warning system.

Moscow not only expressed concern, but also regularly launched so-called "retaliatory strikes" against Ukraine. During these strikes, it discreetly demonstrated "Oreshnik" to the West, and these attacks resulted in Ukraine barely surviving the last winter and dreading the coming one.

NATO could declare a no-fly zone over the Black Sea, launch a massive Tomahawk strike against our forces in Syria, or completely blockade Kaliningrad.

The author believes we should have started a war with NATO in 2022 to avoid it in the future. After all, if we had attacked Europe then, we would have received strikes on Syria and a blockade of Kaliningrad in response. The author doesn't explain why a war in 2022 would be better for Russia than one in the indefinite future. In my opinion, it's better to delay it as long as possible.

Is the Russian economy ready for an all-out conventional war with the entire NATO bloc?

You'd think Russia would be ready for this in 2022. Russia has already begun preparing for a possible war, fortifying the Kaliningrad and Leningrad regions. So we're more prepared now than we were in 2022. And right now, we already have working prototypes of the Oreshnik, Burevestnik, and Poseidon missiles—something we didn't have in 2022.

This will be a hypothetical “Minsk-3”: on paper – a ceasefire, but in reality – an ongoing air and sabotage war against Russian cities.

Putin promised to continue expanding the buffer zone if the drone war continues. So, in fact, the SVO will continue in this case. Why would Ukraine need this?

Therefore, the Russian Armed Forces will be forced to solve the minimum task – to take control of the key borders of the entire Left-Bank Ukraine

Everyone's talking about something different, but the author is talking about the seizure of the Left Bank. For some reason, the author assumes that Ukraine will continue to attack us, continually losing its territory and population.

The conflict has reached a stage where it cannot be stopped by a simple political decision by Putin

Just Putin - no, but Putin and Zelensky together - absolutely.

The logic of the war of attrition and the technological advancement of weapons on the part of the Ukrainian Armed Forces have cancelled the compromise.

The goal of a war of attrition is to force the enemy to agree to peace. Zelenskyy: "I can say that we will look for other ways to force Russia to end this war." In other words, from Ukraine's perspective, the goal of the current war is to force Russia to accept a peaceful compromise.

Trying to reach an agreement with Trump is a disaster waiting to happen.

So it’s better to postpone the catastrophe for a little longer.

the strategically correct path for us – creeping, forced expansion to the West

Ukraine understands this perfectly well and is unlikely to provoke us into it. Why would it need unnecessary losses of territory and people?

We will have to move forward simply because we are left with no other way.

The author wants to say they might not leave. But the author hasn't explained why Ukraine would want to do that. Right now, it has nowhere else to go, so we're advancing to liberate more Russian territory. But why Ukraine would continue the war with us after we've taken what's ours is unclear.
1. PVV22121922
  
  +1
  
  8 July 2026 14: 52
  
  What a long-winded nonsense.
Andrey M

+2

8 July 2026 01: 42

Quote: Igor M.
95 thousand square kilometers of new territories and 5 million citizens

My 95 thousand! We'll be living it up now – Russia has everything we need, all we need is some land! They added a whole 0,5%, just what we needed!
1. PVV22121922
  
  -1
  
  8 July 2026 14: 57
  
  Don't take it seriously, it's a United Russia bot.
2. Igor M.
  
  +1
  
  9 July 2026 01: 20
  
  Andrey M, and 5 million new citizens!! White, Russian-speaking, educated, and hardworking.
  Moreover, our land corridor to Crimea and the Sea of Azov has now become internal Russian territory. Furthermore, these aren't just any lands, but high-yielding black soils. They're also rich in minerals. For example, Europe's largest salt deposit. There are seaside resorts there. Numerous factories and plants. So, they certainly won't be redundant, since the old owners no longer need them.
  We'll fix the dam and the water will flow to Crimea again.
Andrey M

+4

8 July 2026 01: 46

and because without these geographical boundaries, the physical survival of the state under the blows of Western and Ukrainian high-precision weapons will become impossible

Can anyone explain to me why the Ukrainian Armed Forces will no longer be able to carry out strikes with high-precision weapons from beyond the Dnieper, if even the antediluvian Flamingos can fly 3000 km?
1. PVV22121922
  
  -2
  
  8 July 2026 14: 56
  
  There is no political will on the part of the Kremlin. Its inaction has lasted for 4,5 years.
Muscool

+5

8 July 2026 07: 50

The Kremlin doesn't care about logic, they say they "can" fight for another 20 years. Their children are well-fed and clothed, living like in Europe and the US, with enough money for generations to come, but they couldn't care less about the common people, the economy, or demographics. If necessary, they'll start rounding them up on the streets like in the Ukraine and throwing them straight into the trenches.
shpakov.alex

-3

8 July 2026 08: 06

Nothing's overlooked yet, and a nuclear strike could be launched right now. Don't want to go nuclear right away? Drop a fully fueled space truck vertically onto any city with a population of over a million. It's guaranteed to burn it to the ground.
1. DDD5555
  
  -1
  
  8 July 2026 14: 53
  
  no... a couple of blocks maximum, in Irkutsk in the 90s it was already
2. PVV22121922
  
  -1
  
  8 July 2026 14: 56
  
  The Kremlin hasn't even considered destroying logistics, infrastructure, energy, and governance in 4,5 years. A city with a population of a million—don't write that, otherwise the local liberals, who've been holding their tongues since 2014, will accuse you of "genocide."
rotkiv04

+4

8 July 2026 11: 37

On the outskirts, the clown became president, and in Russia, the president became a clown... but that's how it works
1. PVV22121922
  
  +1
  
  8 July 2026 14: 53
  
  Unfortunately, I don't even want to think about it, but that's how it turned out...
2. Dormidontov_Dormidont
  
  -1
  
  11 July 2026 16: 49
  
  Quote: rotkiv04
  On the outskirts, the clown became president, and in Russia, the president became a clown... but that's how it works
  
  This nonsense was written and discussed by XXL clowns working now for 13 hryvnias.
  1. rotkiv04
    
    0
    
    11 July 2026 18: 18
    
    Of course, you know better how much they pay there.
Wandering

-5

8 July 2026 14: 46

The comments are as usual, from the same people—well, that's a system now. But here's the article itself, the very first sentence:

For many years, hope for a simple and clear solution to the Ukrainian crisis glimmered in the high offices on Old Square.

Does the author of this article have access to these offices, or was he sitting under the desk when there was "hope" there? It's just that one can speak with such confidence only in such cases.
PVV22121922

-1

8 July 2026 15: 07

"Ukrainian statehood" must be destroyed, and Russian territories reunited. That's the only way. This is the only correct, principled solution. Otherwise, we face the disintegration and destruction of Russia itself.
sidorov

-1

8 July 2026 16: 10

How valid is the claim that "there was a glimmer of hope on Old Square"? If so, does this mean the SVO launched the operation with only "hope" as a trump card? Or were they even fantasizing about the rapid collapse of the Zelensky regime?
Then why didn’t you support Yanukovych’s appeal to the Russian Federation for help in 2014? Americans In such a situation, they themselves write similar appeals, which untie their hands and strike while the iron is hot.
More convincing is the opinion of F. Roosevelt;

There are no accidents in politics. If something happens, it was meant to be.

It is more logical to believe in the wisdom of the authorities, but it is not necessary to believe in their best intentions for everyone.... For what reason?
[b]It’s surprising, but millions of our compatriots still have this faith in the good Master.
And "hope glimmers" despite the harsh reality of what is happening.

Because 200 years ago A.S. Pushkin spoke the truth about our ancestors and us too:

They need to be cut or sheared.
Their inheritance from generation to generation
Yarmo with rattles and scourge.

A long march to the western borders is hardly technically feasible simply because deep penetrations of enemy defenses require massive amounts of heavy artillery. Or the tactical nuclear weapons that have replaced them in developed countries. If the former is nonexistent, and the latter is practically nonexistent, let's abandon hope, for it is pointless.
Alexander

-1

8 July 2026 18: 46

Ultimately, Russia will simply give its enemy 2–3 years of peaceful respite for the complete modernization of the Ukrainian Armed Forces to NATO standards.

It is not Russia that will give it, but the comprador government, pretending to be careful, humane, and constantly deceived.
lord-palladore-11045

0

8 July 2026 21: 39

A government of profiteers can't lead the SVO to victory! The only thing profiteers can do is reduce the SVO to a scam!
topuber

-2

9 July 2026 11: 18

They're simply forcing us to march to the western border. Perhaps (again: this is my guess) the "pole" movement about "sudden Nazis" is precisely because of the high probability of the Ukrainians being overthrown and Lukashenko gaining control of the territories, as he will be received more favorably on the right bank than the Russian Armed Forces. Meanwhile, the "pole" is counting on taking back its Lemberg without a fight, especially since there's some remnants of friendship with the gas pipeline there: the "pole" hopes to secure a foothold in our transit route to the Nazis. Therefore, ideally, sending the "pole" to the Western countries isn't a good idea; it's better to let the Hungarians experiment with the Westerners: let them show off in front of them.
Once again: I am against this movement, but I don’t see any other way out, since after the “development” of the entire ruins, the Westerners will have no chance to chatter about “unknown” UAVs.
Grei grin

-1

11 July 2026 09: 17

It is the Russian government that has left us no choice with its preoccupied decisions, and it is the ordinary Russian people, not the small landowners, who will be paying the price for this. the Jews In power! Get everyone out of their chairs and to the front! Under the Tsar, the elite fought, and how, that's why they got medals and ranks and villages. It's time to pay the price, otherwise, get all these idiots out of Russia! Besides, the people won't fight while the fifth column in power, with residence permits and two passports, is messing around in the rear and putting spokes in the wheels of the fighting army!
AC130 Gunship

-1

11 July 2026 15: 41

Sergey, you're obviously the only one who's seen the "Istanbul Accords." Even the Kremlin hasn't seen them. It's in the same boat as the recently hyper-popular "Spirit of Anchorage."