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The war in Ukraine is not over.
Four years after the start of the invasion, the Kremlin acknowledged this Tuesday that the military campaign initiated on February 24, 2022, remains ongoing because Moscow has not yet achieved the goals it set at that time.
"In its entirety, it is true that the objectives have not been achieved. Therefore, the special military operation continues," stated the Russian presidential spokesperson, Dmitri Peskov, during his daily conference call, as reported today by the agency EFE.
The admission comes on the same day that marks the fourth anniversary of the start of the invasion, amidst a context of intensified fighting in southern Ukraine and renewed diplomatic tensions between Russia and Western powers.
Russia announces advancements in Zaporizhzhia
In parallel, the Russian Ministry of Defense announced the capture of a village in the Zaporiyia region.
"The units of the Eastern military grouping, as a result of offensive operations, liberated the village of Izdvianka in the Zaporizhia region," stated a military communiqué.
The locality is situated more than 60 kilometers east of the regional capital, toward which the Russian troops are advancing slowly.
Moscow also reported drone, missile, and artillery strikes against "transport and energy infrastructure of the Ukrainian Armed Forces," as well as against storage and launch bases for drones and troop deployment positions.
However, on Monday, Ukraine claimed to have regained 400 square kilometers of territory occupied by Russia since the end of January.
According to Kyiv, part of that progress is attributed to the disconnection of Russian troops from the Starlink satellite network deployed for Ukraine, a system that, according to Ukrainian authorities, was being used improperly by Russian forces.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky stated that Ukrainian troops are advancing along the southern frontline, in a military engagement that remains ongoing four years later.
Moscow accuses France and the United Kingdom of seeking a "nuclear bomb" for Kyiv
In diplomatic circles, tensions escalated with serious accusations.
The Russian Foreign Intelligence Service (SVR) accused France and the United Kingdom of allegedly "actively working" to deliver "a nuclear bomb, or at least a ‘dirty bomb’" to Ukraine, aiming to secure "more favorable terms" in any potential peace negotiations, according to a report today by Europa Press.
According to the Russian statement, London and Paris believe that the current situation "does not allow them to achieve their much-desired victory over Russia," but "they are not prepared to accept a defeat."
The SVR also stated that both countries believe Ukraine should be equipped with a "Wunderwaffe" - "wonder weapon," a term used by Nazi Germany during World War II - and claimed this would involve the "covert transfer of European components, equipment, and technology."
According to Moscow, Berlin would have refused to participate in that supposed initiative.
The EU and the UK toughen their stance
Meanwhile, the main institutional leaders of the European Union reaffirmed their support for Kyiv and called for increasing pressure on Moscow.
Ursula von der Leyen (European Commission), Roberta Metsola (European Parliament), and António Costa (European Council) urged the implementation of more sanctions to pressure Russia into entering "meaningful negotiations" that lead to a "just and lasting" peace.
In a joint statement, they indicated that the war of attrition driven by Vladimir Putin "is constantly weakening Russia" and reiterated their commitment to maintain sanctions on the Russian energy and financial sectors, in addition to strengthening aid to Ukraine.
They recalled that the EU has mobilized 170 billion euros in financial, military, humanitarian, and energy support for Kyiv.
For its part, the United Kingdom announced the largest package of sanctions against Russia since the beginning of the invasion.
The measures aim to suppress the Kremlin's energy revenues and include companies that supply military equipment to Russia.
Among the entities sanctioned is PJSC Transneft, responsible for transporting more than 80% of Russia's oil exports.
Nuclear contacts in Geneva
Amid the intensification of the conflict and the exchange of accusations, delegations from Russia and the United States met in Geneva to discuss, among other matters, the possibility of negotiating a new nuclear arms control treaty.
Subsequently, Washington will hold similar talks with China in an attempt to avoid a new strategic escalation in the atomic realm.
Macron speaks of a "triple failure" for Russia
From Paris, French President Emmanuel Macron described the invasion as "a triple failure" for Russia: "military, economic, and strategic."
In his opinion, the war “has strengthened NATO, an expansion that Russia sought to prevent, has united Europeans whom it expected to weaken, and has made clear the fragility of an imperialism from another era.”
Macron stated that "the Russians will realize one day the enormity of the crime committed in their name," and he reiterated that "Ukraine is the first line of defense for our continent."
Four years after the beginning of the conflict, far from a ceasefire being in sight, statements from the Kremlin confirm that the war is ongoing.
Moscow admits it has not achieved its objectives; Kyiv claims to be making progress on the front; the West tightens sanctions; and the great powers resume nuclear talks.
The current scenario is one of a prolonged confrontation with no immediate resolution in sight.
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