Russia Preparing for Long War with Ukraine, Says Ukraine’s Center for Countering Disinformation
Russia is covertly preparing for a protracted conflict with Ukraine, potentially lasting until 2027, according to the Center for Countering Disinformation (CCD) at Ukraine’s National Security and Defense Council (NSDC). CCD chief Andriy Kovalenko revealed this information during an interview with Espreso TV on January 3.
"The Kremlin is attempting to shore up resources and reallocate them to sustain its military operations against Ukraine until 2027," Kovalenko said. He cited Russian President Vladimir Putin’s declarations and the activities of Russia’s military-industrial complex as evidence.
Russia, Kovalenko claimed, is trying to delegitimize Ukraine’s president to hold talks about the war without Ukraine’s involvement. He expressed hope that the incoming U.S. administration and the European Union are aware of Russia’s maneuvers.
To compel Putin to the negotiating table, Kovalenko suggested strong-arm tactics and engagement from countries like China that support Russia. "Without bypassing sanctions or military-industrial complex support from China, Russia can’t maintain the intensity of its war against Ukraine," he stated.
Currently, Russia is mirroring Ukraine’s demands for security guarantees. It argues that Ukraine’s NATO ambitions and European integration undermines Russian security.
"The key issue is to prevent Russia from exploiting the security guarantee theme to weaken our European integration or security guarantees," Kovalenko warned.
Notably, Russia launched 111 drones against Ukraine on New Year’s Eve. Sixty-three were shot down, and 46 were lost. Two drones flew back to Russia and Belarus.
