The Kremlin has significantly intensified its efforts to present the Russian army and economy as sure winners in a war of attrition against Ukraine. Senior Russian officials, including President Vladimir Putin, have been systematically repeating exaggerated claims of military and economic successes. This is stated by analysts from the Institute for the Study of War (ISW), reports News.bg.
According to ISW, this strategy aims to force Ukraine and its Western partners to retreat under the influence of fear of long-term Russian military actions. While the situation in some parts of the front, especially in the Pokrovsk and Gulyaypole directions, remains dire, most of Russia's claims of success do not reflect the reality on the battlefield.
Putin's statements about the stability and strength of the Russian economy ignore the serious difficulties it faces - rising costs under the pressure of Western sanctions, financial constraints and increasing military spending.
On December 9, Putin again called on Ukraine to hand over the entire Luhansk and Donetsk regions, including territories not currently under Russian control. He described these regions as "historical territory" of Russia and stated that "they have always been part of it".
The Russian president again reiterated the thesis that Ukraine is an artificially created state by the Soviet authorities. At the same time, Russia has repeatedly recognized Ukraine's independence, sovereignty, and borders over the past 30 years - with the recognition of Ukrainian independence in 1991, the Budapest Memorandum of 1994, and the Treaty of Friendship between Russia and Ukraine of 1997.
ISW continues to assess that a possible Russian campaign for a full military takeover of the Donetsk region would take at least two to three years, would pose an extremely serious challenge, and would lead to prolonged and costly fighting that the Russian Federation may not be able to withstand.
The December 8 decree likely creates the conditions for the Kremlin to begin a secret mobilization of parts of the strategic inactive reserve. Russia has two main types of reserves. The first is the so-called "human mobilization reserve" - an active reserve of citizens who, under a contract with the Ministry of Defense, voluntarily serve in the reserve, remaining civilians until the moment of a possible call-up. The second is the inactive reserve, known as the "reserve", which covers men up to the age of 65-70 under certain conditions and who do not maintain active contact with the armed forces.
As early as October 2025, the ISW warned that the Kremlin was preparing to conduct a partial mobilization without an official declaration of war or a public announcement of mandatory conscription.
On November 4, Putin signed a law for the first time that allows the call-up of active reservists for the "protection of critical infrastructure facilities" on the territory of Russia and occupied Ukraine. At the time, Russian officials and state media categorically denied concerns that the reservists would be used for combat operations in Ukraine.
The subsequent decree of December 8, however, does not impose restrictions on the use of inactive reservists in combat operations.
A Kremlin representative admitted the possibility that Moscow could abandon a future peace agreement with Ukraine, citing the alleged “illegitimacy” of the Ukrainian government - concerns that ISW has long warned about. On December 9, Leonid Slutsky, the chairman of the State Duma's international relations committee, said that Ukraine should hold elections to “legitimize” its power.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, meanwhile, commented on the latest 20-point peace plan proposed by the United States. On December 8, he confirmed that the document contained 20 points.
Zelensky stressed that territorial issues remain unresolved and that Ukrainian forces continue to fight not to give up Ukrainian territory. According to him, Russia is exerting military, informational and diplomatic pressure on Ukraine in order to force it to give up the entire Donetsk region.
He also indicated that there is currently a proposal for an “exchange” between the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant occupied by Russia and part of the occupied territories for areas of Donetsk region that are not yet under Russian control. Zelensky again emphasized the importance of reliable guarantees for Ukraine’s post-war future.
The Ukrainian president also noted that the country maintains constant coordination with its partners to ensure that the current negotiations also reflect Europe’s position.