Putin Plans to Continue War Against Ukraine Until at Least 2028 — CCD

Russian President Vladimir Putin intends to prolong the war against Ukraine for at least until 2028, according to Andrii Kovalenko, the head of Ukraine's Center for Countering Disinformation (CCD), reported UATV English. Kovalenko pointed to Russia's plans for additional mobilization as evidence of the Kremlin's intention to sustain a prolonged conflict.

Putin has announced mobilizing several hundred thousand individuals later this year, following Russia's purported elections, with similar mobilization plans reportedly pending for the following year. Kovalenko also noted that all parties backing Russia's so-called elections are in favor of continuing the war, while the sole explicitly anti-war party, Yabloko, was disqualified from participating.

He further stated that Putin and members of his inner circle continue to profit financially from the war. Kovalenko emphasized the importance of recognizing that there are economists in Russia who have access to Putin and oppose the removal of working-age men from the economy and their deployment to the war. However, the military, intelligence services, certain oligarchs who profit from the war, Kiriyenko, and Putin himself, he said, are eager to continue fighting.

Earlier, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy had mentioned that Ukraine's military intelligence had received intelligence suggesting that the Kremlin was preparing for a new mobilization campaign in the fall, following Russia's purported elections. Kovalenko's assessment comes as there are increasing indications that Moscow is preparing for a prolonged struggle instead of a swift resolution to the hostilities.