Published: Less than 10 min ago
People are fleeing drone attacks and shelling.
Now Russians are being warned that the chaos will get worse – and spread.
– What we see is the Ukrainian counter-offensive, says Russian politician Oleg Morozov.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyi has said that it is ready to launch the major offensive to take back occupied territories.
At the same time, the time-consuming and life-threatening work of digging up the thousands of mines between the Ukrainian and Russian positions is underway.
Foreign weapons fill the Ukrainian warehouses.
“The counter-offensive is here”
But on state Russian television, the people are warned that the counter-offensive has already begun. And it takes place on Russian soil.
In a dramatic feature on the TV channel Russia-1, the attacks on Russian soil are discussed to images of burning houses, explosions and soldiers ducking under fire.
Member of Parliament Oleg Morozov says he doubts the prevailing view that the counter-offensive will involve massive attacks on Russian positions in occupied Ukraine.
– Some time ago, the enemy promised to take their military operations to Russian territory. Now the enemy keeps what it promises, Morozov says in the TV clip shared and translated on Twitter by journalist Julia Davis.
Iron ring around the border
– I think that the so-called counter-offensive is what we are witnessing now.
The military expert Mikhail Khodaryonok believes that the Ukrainian plan likely involves more attacks on Russian soil – and in more places.
He believes that the military must form an iron ring around the border where Russian militias fighting on the Ukrainian side have struck.
– We need to get troops, material, artillery, armored vehicles, fighter jets there. Where should we get it from? Either from the units that are now participating in intense fighting in Kherson, Zaporizhzhya or Donetsk. Or from the army reserves. Wherever they are taken from, it will weaken the fronts where the Russian military conducts operations, says Khodaryonok.
– This may very well be their plan. Thinning our troops, resources and capabilities.
More steps in the plan
He continues:
– The events in Shebekino are probably not the last step in their plan. It is likely that similar attacks will occur in other regions as well, he says.
– Finally, when we have spread out our troops and resources along our entire 150-mile-long border, they can strategically and tactically begin to advance in other directions.
The political analyst Alexander Shpakovsky believes that the chaos along the border means that the special operation is over and “the great patriotic war” has begun.
“Gets worse”
– It is no longer about defending Russia’s new regions. Russia is under attack, he says on television.
– According to the constitution, Russian civilians must defend the motherland. Other measures are required. It is impossible to solve this with inadequate resources. More forces must be brought in. Otherwise, the situation will become worse for us and at a higher cost.