Denis Pushilin, the Russian-backed leader of the self-proclaimed Donetsk People’s Republic (DPR), stated that Russia is “definitely not” withdrawing its troops from the Kherson region in Ukraine. He dismissed reports of a withdrawal as Ukrainian propaganda aimed at misleading Russia. Pushilin emphasized that Russia’s military is regrouping and improving its defensive lines in the face of Ukrainian counteroffensives.
He asserted that the main objective remains to “liberate” the entire Donetsk region and to protect the population from continued shelling by Ukrainian forces. He claimed that Ukrainian shelling is deliberately targeting civilian infrastructure and residential areas within the DPR.
Furthermore, Pushilin addressed concerns about the potential use of tactical nuclear weapons by Russia, stating that he doesn’t see a situation where such weapons would be necessary. He believes that Russia has sufficient conventional capabilities to achieve its goals in Ukraine. He also suggested that the West is exaggerating the threat of nuclear escalation to pressure Russia. He reiterated Russia’s commitment to achieving its objectives in Ukraine and maintaining control over territories it currently occupies.
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