Peskov says that Ukrainian regime change is no longer a goal for Russia – news Urix – Foreign news and documentaries

– It is not our goal that the special operation should change the government in Ukraine, says Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov, according to Sky News. The statement stands in stark contrast to what President Vladimir Putin said in a televised address the day after the attack. Then Putin called on Ukrainian soldiers to overthrow their own government. – It will be easier for us to agree if you take power into your own hands, Putin said. He also called the Ukrainian authorities “drug addict neo-Nazis”. Since the attack on Ukraine on February 24, Russian authorities have denied that the invasion is a war, calling it a “military special operation” instead. Putin’s press spokesman Dmitry Peskov claims that Russia no longer aims to overthrow the Ukrainian government. Photo: KIRILL KUDRYAVTSEV / AFP Researcher: Shows that Russia must adjust its ambitions Una Hakvåg at the Norwegian Defense Research Institute is not surprised that Russia has changed its mind. Russia is no longer on the offensive in the war. Throughout the autumn, Russian forces have struggled to defend themselves. From the Russian side, it has become a very defensive military operation, says Hakvåg. Una Hakvåg is a senior researcher at the Norwegian Defense Research Institute. She says that throughout the autumn, Russia has tried to adapt its ambitions to reality. This means, among other things, that a change of regime in Kyiv is no longer relevant. Photo: The Norwegian Defense Research Institute (FFI) – Now it appears quite unrealistic that Russia will be able to gain such a large military advantage that they will be able to install another government in Kyiv. They probably still want it, but they are trying to find a way to declare victory in the war. In order to achieve that, they have to lower their ambitions. She also points out that Putin said something similar in October when he attended a meeting in Kazakhstan. Here, Putin said, among other things, that Russia does not aim to destroy Ukraine. Wants to keep Crimea The war has not gone the way Russia wanted. At the start of the war, Ukraine repelled the attack on the capital. Earlier this month, Kherson was liberated after eight months under Russian control. Hakvåg says that Russia’s main objective now is to maintain a land corridor to the Crimean peninsula. This means that they must maintain the route they have taken along the Sea of ​​Azov. It is particularly important to be able to secure water supply to the Crimean peninsula without being dependent on Kyiv, says Hakvåg. – Keeping Crimea and this corridor is a kind of minimum goal that Russia tries to define as a victory, she says. At the same time, Hakvåg says that there is no doubt that the Russian authorities want regime change. This means that if the opportunity should present itself, they will probably try to take it, she says. Photo: “INSTITUTE FOR THE STUDY OF WAR AND AEI’S CRITICAL THREATS PROJECT / news (Updated 18.11.2022) Photo: “INSTITUTE FOR THE STUDY OF WAR AND AEI’S CRITICAL THREATS PROJECT / news (Updated 18.11.2022)



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