Kremlin foreign policy aide Yury Ushakov has stated that a ceasefire in Ukraine is contingent upon the complete withdrawal of Kyiv’s forces from the entire Donbas region, according to a report by the Russian newspaper Kommersant on Friday.
Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!Ushakov made it clear that a cessation of hostilities would only occur after Ukrainian troops vacate the area. He emphasized that the territory currently controlled by Ukraine must come under the full control of the Russian Federation, which will happen “if not by negotiation, then by military means.”
Proposed Control and Deployment
The aide further suggested a possible peace plan scenario for the Ukrainian-held parts of the Donbas. He indicated that the Russian military might be absent from these areas, with control instead maintained by the Rosgvardiya National Guard and police forces.
“It’s entirely possible that there won’t be any troops there, either Russian or Ukrainian. But there will be the Russian national guard, our police, everything necessary to maintain order and organise life,” Ushakov was quoted as saying.
Current Status of the Donbas
Russia currently claims control over the whole of the Luhansk region and approximately 80% of the Donetsk region. However, key, heavily fortified Ukrainian cities, notably Sloviansk and Kramatorsk, remain under Kyiv’s command.
The Russian National Guard (Rosgvardiya) is a large, military-style internal force of about 400,000 personnel. It has been active in Ukraine since the beginning of the 2022 invasion. Notably, the force was legally empowered in 2023 to acquire and use heavy weapons, including tanks and artillery.
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