Russia preparing 2 more 'heavy offensive campaigns,' Zelensky says
Russian forces are preparing two more large-scale offensives after three failed campaigns this year, President Volodymyr Zelensky said in an interview with Sky News published on Sept. 16.
"They are preparing for two more offensive operations in the fall," Zelensky said. "There were already three of them, and ahead... there are two more heavy offensive campaigns."
The remarks follow earlier reporting that Russian President Vladimir Putin told U.S. officials he aims to capture the entire Donbas region in eastern Ukraine by the end of 2025. According to Reuters' sources, Putin believes his forces are "winning" despite limited gains.
Since November 2022, Moscow has gained less than 1% of additional Ukrainian territory, despite its 2025 summer offensive advancing at one of the fastest rates since late 2024.
Zelensky attributed Russian military setbacks to significant manpower and equipment losses.
"They lost because there were a large number of casualties among the personnel and a large number of lost equipment," he added. "What I said to the Europeans and what I said in the White House... the Russians will not be able to take our east."
Zelensky also dismissed claims that Russia could capture cities like Sumy in the northeast as "lies and manipulation."
Earlier this year, the Russian army opened a new front in Sumy Oblast, seizing several villages in May and June. In early September, Zelensky said the offensive had been "completely thwarted."
"I believe that the Russians are doing worse than they expected," he added. "They are doing much worse than they told Putin. He does not know about it."
The Economist estimated that Russia lost around 31,000 troops between May 1 and July 9, while Ukraine's General Staff puts total Russian losses since the full-scale war in 2022 at roughly 1,100,000.
Zelensky said in August that it would take Russia another four years to fully seize Donbas, a region in eastern Ukraine comprised of mostly occupied Luhansk Oblast and partially occupied Donetsk Oblast.
