Full control over Donetsk region,<\/p>\n<\/li>\n
Further advances in\u00a0Zaporizhzhia and Kherson regions,<\/p>\n<\/li>\n
Penetration into parts of\u00a0Dnipropetrovsk region, <\/p>\n<\/li>\n
Expansion of\u00a0so-called \u201csanitary\u201d (buffer) zones along the border with Ukraine.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
\u201cThese are their main tasks. Essentially, their 2026\u00a0objectives are Donbas and Zaporizhzhia,\u201d Budanov said.<\/p>\n
He\u00a0noted<\/a> that these ambitions are part of\u00a0detailed Russian military planning, which Ukraine\u2019s intelligence has been monitoring closely.<\/p>\n Read more<\/p>\n The Strategies and Challenges That Could Decide Ukraine\u2019s Fight in 2026<\/a><\/p>\n \n Nov 19, 2025 18:24\n <\/p>\n Budanov also disclosed that Russia\u2019s mobilization plan for 2026\u00a0includes recruiting 409,000 personnel. For comparison, he\u00a0said that the Kremlin\u2019s target of\u00a0403,000 recruits for 2025\u00a0was already met by\u00a0early December.<\/p>\n Despite internal challenges, Russia continues to\u00a0attract contract soldiers with high one-time payments, especially in\u00a0economically depressed regions. <\/p>\n Budanov added that Russia also fulfills its conscription quotas in\u00a0temporarily occupied Ukrainian territories such as\u00a0Crimea, Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhia, and Kherson.<\/p>\n \u201cAll of\u00a0those plans were completed 100%,\u201d he\u00a0said, explaining that while individual stories vary, all those recruited from occupied territories have signed formal contracts with the Russian Armed Forces.<\/p>\n Read more<\/p>\n Russia Has Lost 1.2 Million Troops in Ukraine\u2014More Than Its Entire Pre-War Army<\/a><\/p>\n \n Dec 18, 2025 14:13\n <\/p>\n Budanov confirmed that Russian forces continue offensive operations on\u00a0multiple fronts, albeit without achieving rapid breakthroughs. <\/p>\n \u201cThey are not achieving the pace they dream of, but they are advancing,\u201d Budanov told Suspilne, acknowledging the continuous pressure exerted by\u00a0Russian forces.<\/p>\n He\u00a0pointed out that Russia\u2019s main offensive efforts are concentrated around the Pokrovsk direction in\u00a0Donetsk region, describing it\u00a0as\u00a0\u201cthe primary axis of\u00a0attack.\u201d<\/p>\n In\u00a0early December, Russia launched over 1,600 attack drones and nearly 70\u00a0missiles against Ukrainian territory in\u00a0just one week. Budanov explained that although Russia\u2019s stockpiles of\u00a0drones and missiles were nearly depleted by\u00a0early 2023, the country has since rebuilt and expanded its production capacity.<\/p>\n He\u00a0emphasized that Russia\u2019s drone and missile capabilities are now domestically sustained and not reliant on\u00a0direct supplies from Iran or\u00a0North Korea. \u201cThey fully meet and often exceed their production targets,\u201d he\u00a0said, adding that mass attacks on\u00a0Ukraine\u2019s energy infrastructure are expected to\u00a0continue.<\/p>\n Read more<\/p>\n Russia Is Mass-Producing 1000-km Iskander Missiles That Can Reach Most of Europe, Leaks Reveal<\/a><\/p>\n \n Dec 18, 2025 13:50\n <\/p>\n Budanov also addressed his participation in\u00a0Ukraine\u2019s negotiation team tasked with engaging US\u00a0and Russian representatives. Without revealing specific details, he\u00a0emphasized the importance of\u00a0discretion in\u00a0sensitive talks.<\/p>\n \u201cThe key to\u00a0a\u00a0more or\u00a0less acceptable outcome in\u00a0negotiations is\u00a0silence,\u201d he\u00a0noted, adding that territorial issues remain the central stumbling block in\u00a0peace discussions.<\/p>\n Budanov acknowledged that global actors such as\u00a0the United States may pursue strategic dialogue with Russia for their own interests\u2014especially in\u00a0the context of\u00a0countering China. <\/p>\n According to\u00a0him, the US\u00a0is\u00a0seeking to\u00a0prevent a\u00a0deepening Russia-China alignment, and any such efforts would require engaging Moscow diplomatically.<\/p>\n \u201cRussia is\u00a0larger, has more resources, and is\u00a0more attractive in\u00a0some respects,\u201d Budanov said. \u201cBut that does not prevent partnerships with us.\u201d<\/p>\n Read more<\/p>\n Trump Sanctions Target Over 50% of Russia\u2019s Oil Exports, a Direct Blow to the Kremlin\u2019s War Chest<\/a><\/p>\n \n Nov 06, 2025 17:53\n <\/p>\n While Russia continues to\u00a0spend heavily on\u00a0war, Budanov pointed to\u00a0growing financial strain. Citing Ukrainian drone strikes on\u00a0Russia\u2019s oil infrastructure, he\u00a0said that as\u00a0of\u00a0December 2025, around 21% of\u00a0Russia\u2019s oil refining capacity had been impacted.<\/p>\n He\u00a0described Russia\u2019s 2026\u00a0federal budget as\u00a0\u201ccatastrophic,\u201d with 46% of\u00a0expenditures dedicated to\u00a0defense and security\u2014leaving little room for social or\u00a0economic development.<\/p>\n \u201cAny country allocating nearly half its budget to\u00a0war cannot grow sustainably,\u201d Budanov said.<\/p>\n Still, he\u00a0cautioned that such economic pressure may not immediately affect battlefield operations, though it\u00a0could influence Russia\u2019s long-term willingness to\u00a0negotiate.<\/p>\n Budanov warned that Russia continues its efforts to\u00a0undermine Ukraine from within, particularly through information warfare aimed at\u00a0discrediting Ukraine\u2019s mobilization efforts.<\/p>\n Read more<\/p>\n Europe Is Already at War: A Peacetime Mindset Leaves It Vulnerable to Russian Hybrid Attacks<\/a><\/p>\n \n Dec 11, 2025 12:01\n <\/p>\n \u201cThe campaign to\u00a0disrupt Ukrainian mobilization will persist as\u00a0long as\u00a0the war continues,\u201d he\u00a0said.<\/p>\n He\u00a0also confirmed that Russia is\u00a0preparing strategic reserves but is\u00a0unlikely to\u00a0initiate new military campaigns outside Ukraine until the current war concludes. However, he\u00a0acknowledged the possibility of\u00a0future threats to\u00a0Baltic countries, given Russia\u2019s history of\u00a0provocative actions in\u00a0European airspace and waters.<\/p>\n Looking ahead, Budanov stressed that Ukraine\u2019s role in\u00a0the evolving global security order will depend heavily on\u00a0the outcome of\u00a0its war with Russia. He\u00a0believes Ukraine must secure a\u00a0\u201cdignified position\u201d in\u00a0the emerging postwar architecture to\u00a0avoid further instability across the region.<\/p>\n \u201cMany processes depend on\u00a0the final results of\u00a0this war,\u201d he\u00a0concluded. \u201cThat\u2019s why the negotiation process is\u00a0important\u2014not just for Ukraine or\u00a0Russia, but for what comes next.\u201d<\/p>\n Earlier, Kyrylo Budanov warned<\/a> that Russia may be\u00a0ready to\u00a0attack Europe by\u00a02027\u2014three years earlier than expected\u2014with the Baltic states as\u00a0likely targets.<\/p>\n![\"The](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/17d6ee91c5babe4b009c2c4d6bd91571.jpg\")
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