"Russia wants to annex eastern Ukraine"
The United States has intelligence indicating that Russia intends to annex large parts of eastern Ukraine and recognize the independence of Kherson. The US ambassador has said that Washington and its allies will not recognize such a move.
According to US intelligence, Russia plans to annex a large part of eastern Ukraine this month and also recognize the independence of the Kherson Republic.
According to Michael Carpenter, the US representative to the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), this Russian intention, which is not unexpected for the United States, “stems directly from the Kremlin’s tactical maneuvers.” He made it clear that the US and its allies would not recognize such an action.
The United States and its allies also have information indicating that Moscow intends to hold "fake referendums" in the self-proclaimed Donetsk and Luhansk republics to annex these regions to Russia.
At the same time, there are signs that Russia wants to hold an autonomy referendum in Kherson. According to Carpenter, the Kremlin wants to give its actions a democratic appearance by holding these referendums. He emphasizes that such referendums are not legal.
“Russia’s only way out: surrender”
Ukraine's National Security Council says Moscow has no choice but to surrender given the Ukrainian army's successful resistance to Russian forces. Speaking on Ukrainian television, council member Oleksiy Danilov said he was confident the war would end not with a peace agreement but with Russia's surrender.
Source: DW
