Experts predict Russia's plans after partial ceasefire with Ukraine

(Dan Tri) - Russia may be preparing for a large-scale multi-pronged attack campaign in the coming weeks after reaching a partial ceasefire agreement with Ukraine through the US.

Russia is dominating the battlefield, while Ukraine is seriously short of personnel (Photo: Getty).

Ukrainska Pravda quoted analysts and military commanders as saying that this spring, Russia could launch a multi-pronged offensive along a 1,000km frontline in Ukraine.

Military analyst Oleksii Hetman says Russia is preparing for frontline attacks that are expected to last six to nine months, meaning almost the entire year of 2025.

Citing intelligence information, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said Russia may be preparing new attacks in Sumy, Kharkov and Zaporizhia provinces.

"We must look at the situation soberly. Russia is preparing a new offensive, especially in the Sumy and Kharkiv provinces. I can confirm that Russia is trying to buy time and prepare for a spring offensive. We see preparations for this upcoming operation," he said.

According to him, Russia initially planned to carry out this operation eight months ago but was forced to postpone it due to the Kursk operation of the Ukrainian army.

Sumy and Kharkiv are both located in northeastern Ukraine and border Russia. The two provinces have played a key role in Ukraine’s defense since the conflict broke out more than three years ago. Moscow launched a two-pronged attack on Kharkiv in May last year, but Kiev soon declared the Russian offensive had failed.

A new offensive in the current situation could give Russia grounds to prolong talks on a full ceasefire in order to gain more territory, officials and analysts say.

In the north, Russian troops have all but stripped Ukraine of its bargaining chips by retaking most of Kursk. In the east, fighting has also escalated in Donetsk and Zaporizhia.

Some commanders fear Russia could move battle-hardened forces from Kursk province to other areas in eastern Ukraine.

"It will be very difficult. The forces from Kursk will be very excited after the victory there," said a commander of a Ukrainian battalion fighting in Donetsk province.

Ukraine launched an offensive in Kursk province on the Russian border in August last year and quickly took control of about 1,300 square kilometers of territory there. However, Russia has regained most of the territory captured by Kiev in Kursk and is trying to advance into Sumy province, creating a buffer zone inside Ukraine.

President Zelensky declared on March 28 that Ukrainian forces were still on duty in Kursk and there was no risk of being surrounded.

"On the Kursk front, our soldiers are doing everything possible and impossible. We are there without being surrounded. As long as we are there, it has the effect of preventing the Russian attack on Sumy," he said.

Mr. Zelensky further affirmed that in eastern Ukraine, the situation has improved, and the Russian forces present there will not be enough.

Source: https://dantri.com.vn/the-gioi/chuyen-gia-du-doan-ke-hoach-cua-nga-sau-ngung-ban-mot-phan-voi-ukraine-20250329221748009.htm