Kremlin dictator Vladimir Putin shows no willingness to participate in Ukraine negotiations, the new German ambassador to Russia, Alexander Graf Lambsdorff, told news agency Redaktionsnetzwerk Deutschland in his first interview since assuming his post, published Dec. 22. <\/p>\n
\"Putin has just confirmed his military goals,\" he said, noting a diffuse yearning for peace among the Russian population. <\/p>\n
Read also: Putin wants combat lasers, AI robots for Russian military <\/p>\n
There are no signs that Putin will change his position after the presidential elections in March 2024. The regime feels stable and comfortable, and there is no evidence to confirm rumors of the dictator's \"poor health.\" <\/p>\n
Lambsdorff supports the strengthening of EU sanctions against Russia as an effective measure, but warns not to expect immediate results. <\/p>\n
Read also: Russia's arm production and stockpiles not in best shape Military Intelligence <\/p>\n
\"Sanctions are not a light switch... You cannot impose sanctions and immediately change the behavior of the sanctioned party, he explained. <\/p>\n
Sanctions are there to show the price for certain behavior. And this is happening visibly.\" <\/p>\n
Russia has no intention of abandoning its objectives in Ukraine, Putin told the Russian Defense Ministry on Dec. 19. In response, Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu noted that \"all the tasks set by the Russian Armed Forces for 2023 have been completed\" and announced plans to expand the countrys armed forces to 1.5 million personnel. <\/p>\n
Russia is formulating a new medium-term war plan, aiming to extend combat operations in Ukraine for another 36 months and capture major cities, according to a Dec. 14 report by the German newspaper BILD, which cites intelligence sources. <\/p>\n
BILD writes that Russia's strategic goals by the end of 2024 include the complete occupation of Ukraines Donetsk and Luhansk Oblasts and parts of Kharkiv Oblast, extending to the Oskil River. Russian forces then plan to conquer significant areas of the Zaporizhzhya, Dnipropetrovsk, and Kharkiv Oblasts by the end of 2026, including the strategic cities of Kharkiv, Dnipro, and Zaporizhzhya, the report says. <\/p>\n
Read also: Putin parrots worn propaganda tropes at first public call-in marathon since 2021 <\/p>\n
At the same time, Ukraines Main Intelligence Directorate (HUR) head, Kyrylo Budanov, said that Russia does not currently intend to wage war in 2025. <\/p>\n
On Dec. 19, HUR spokesman Andriy Yusov said that Russia has ramped up production of missiles and drones beyond pre-invasion levels. Nevertheless, Yusov noted, these volumes will not permit Moscow to amass a significant stockpile of long-range weapons. <\/p>\n
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Putin shows no willingness to negotiate, says German ambassador to Russia - Yahoo News<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Kremlin dictator Vladimir Putin shows no willingness to participate in Ukraine negotiations, the new German ambassador to Russia, Alexander Graf Lambsdorff, told news agency Redaktionsnetzwerk Deutschland in his first interview since assuming his post, published Dec. 22 Continue reading