Russia will use all its possibilities for the offensive. It will not change its strategy and plans to occupy all of Ukraine.
This is stated in the report of the special services of Latvia. It is noted that the war will last at least until the end of 2023.
Russia will continue to bluff
According to the report, both the Ukrainian and Russian armies will try to take advantage of the possibility of an offensive. Special services believe that Russia does not rule out a second attack on Kyiv, and the occupation of the Donetsk and Lugansk regions is the enemy’s minimum goal.
The resumption of peace talks is not yet possible: Russia is not ready to leave the territory of Ukraine, and Ukraine is not ready for territorial losses. The signals that Russia is sending about its readiness to resume negotiations can be regarded as a bluff, the report said.
They added that the Russians, first of all, need time to regroup and prepare for new attacks. There is no mention of the world at all.
Weapons supply and nuclear blackmail
The report also talked about military assistance for Ukraine. Latvia believes that the Armed Forces of Ukraine need even more weapons from the West. According to the intelligence services, both Ukraine and Russia are experiencing a lack of weapons and ammunition, so the course of the war will be affected by the time during which the opponents will produce weapons.
“In 2023, Ukraine will continue to look to the international community to prevent war weariness. Russia will continue its efforts to undermine Western support for Ukraine by trying to split the West and continuing to spread nuclear threats. However, in our assessment, the likelihood of Russia using nuclear weapons is now low “, summed up in the report.
Ukraine is preparing a counteroffensive
According to the representative of the Main Intelligence Directorate Vadim Skibitsky, in the spring the Armed Forces of Ukraine are preparing to launch a counteroffensive. The timing depends on Western assistance. The main goal of the offensive will be “to drive a wedge into the Russian front in the south – between the Crimea and mainland Russia.”
Skibitsky does not rule out that Ukraine will strike at the territory of Russia. The defenders will liquidate the positions of the occupiers, from which they are shelling, for example, Kharkov.
