Volodymyr Zelensky warns that, to completely occupy the Donbas, Russia would need to sacrifice between 300,000 and 1 million soldiers.

The President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelensky, stated that to completely occupy Donbas, Vladimir Putin would need to sacrifice between 300,000 and 1 million soldiers, emphasizing that Ukraine will not withdraw its troops from this region. In a message sent via his Telegram channel, Zelensky mentioned that Russia is suffering enormous losses and does not have enough well-trained troops on the battlefield.

He explained that Putin is looking for a diplomatic solution to achieve a seemingly victory, trying to force Ukraine to withdraw from Donbas, which would divide the Ukrainian nation. Zelensky warned that if Ukraine's unity were undermined, Putin could launch a new blitzkrieg to quickly occupy the country.

The President emphasized that a ceasefire that maintains the status quo is in the interest of Ukraine and its international partners. He also stated that Putin understands that he cannot completely occupy Ukraine, but sends contradictory messages to his partners. Zelensky reiterated that the withdrawal of troops from Donetsk would not represent a compromise, but would facilitate the expansion of Russian aggression towards other regions, such as Kharkiv and Dnipro.