A demonstration battle will determine the timing of the end of the war

The new offensive of the army of the terrorist country of Russia, which will involve a 200,000-strong force formed through mobilization in Russia, will be a "demonstration battle. Based on its results, it will be possible to make war forecasts for the entire year 2023.

If the Ukrainian army fails to inflict significant losses on the enemy, it will be able to plan another offensive for the fall of this year. This opinion in an exclusive interview with OBOZREVATEL was expressed by military expert Oleg Zhdanov.

According to the expert, Kremlin head Vladimir Putin in the war against Ukraine makes decisions based on the specific situation on the front, but his minimum tasks, as well as the strategic goal remains unchanged.

"He is trying to stretch the current situation to his strategic goal. He has a strategic goal of eliminating Ukraine as a state, eliminating us as a nation. So far, they have stopped at the minimum - Donetsk and Luhansk regions, plus the retention of parts of Zaporizhzhia and Kherson regions to break through a land corridor to Crimea, to provide energy to these areas and water to the Crimea," Zhdanov explained.

At the same time, the expert is convinced: "If the second wave of mobilization is successful and Putin gathers half a million, I think that then the talks about Putin's autumn offensive campaign will have grounds.

The expert stressed that predictions about the timing of the end of the war will largely depend on whether the Ukrainian army can defeat the 200,000-strong group of Russian troops that they have assembled to resume the offensive. "It will be a telling battle that will give us the opportunity to make predictions for 2023."

Author - Serhii Kolomiets, 25/01/2023