Moscow declares Ukraine has "fully lost" the territories Russia illegally annexed in 2022, but once again, its claims fall apart when confronted with reality.
On February 17, 2025, Russia's UN representative Vasily Nebenzya declared that Ukraine had "irreversibly" lost control over Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhia, and Kherson Oblasts, falsely claiming they are now fully integrated into Russia.
Here's what the situation actually looks like on the ground:
- On September 30, 2022, Russia claimed to annex four Ukrainian regions following staged "referendums" that were widely condemned as illegitimate.
- By October 4, 2022, the Russian parliament ratified these "treaties," and Vladimir Putin signed constitutional amendments, officially adding Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhia, and Kherson Oblasts to Russia's federal structure.
- Despite these statements, Russia does not control large parts of the territories it claims,including key cities like Kherson and Zaporizhzhia. The big city agglomeration in the Donetsk Oblast (Slovyansk-Kramatorsk-Druzhkivka-Kostiantynivka) is also under Ukrainian control.
This presents a significant issue:
If Russia refuses to alter its own constitution, how can any peace deal be expected to hold?
Even if a peace deal is signed, Russia can later justify another invasion by arguing it is "reclaiming" what its constitution falsely defines as Russian land. This creates a permanent risk of renewed aggression, making it clear that any "peace" on Russian terms is only a pause before the next war.
Russia Can’t Take Cities—It Can Only Destroy Them
Russia struggles to capture and hold major Ukrainian cities, so instead, it relies on sheer firepower to destroy them. This tactic leaves cities in ruins, making a recovery nearly impossible and offering little real strategic gain.
- Mariupol (2022): Russia took the city by reducing it to rubble—bombing homes, hospitals, and cultural landmarks, leaving the city nearly uninhabitable.
- Bakhmut (2023): Russian forces bombarded the city for months, destroying its infrastructure while achieving minimal strategic gains.
- Kherson: Since its liberation in November 2022, Kherson has faced relentless Russian drone and artillery attacks, targeting civilians, essential workers, and commuters. The attacks have intensified since December 2024, with drones attacking civilians, leaving hundreds injured and several medics and rescue workers dead.
- Zaporizhzhia: Although never occupied by Russian forces, Zaporizhzhia has been subjected to continuous missile and drone strikes.
The Cost of Appeasement
Russia's aggression did not start in 2022. After the Soviet Union's collapse, Moscow pursued a pattern of military invasions, territorial grabs, and hybrid warfare. Every instance of appeasement has only emboldened further aggression.
- 1992-Present: Moldova (Transnistria). Russian-backed separatists seized control of Transnistria in a war against Moldova. Russian troops remain there to this day. It is widely considered a potential next target.
- 1994-1996, 1999-2009: Chechnya Wars. Russia launched brutal military campaigns to suppress Chechen independence, leading to mass civilian casualties.
- 2008-Present: Invasion of Georgia. Russia invaded Georgia and seized control of Abkhazia and South Ossetia. Despite international condemnation, Russia still occupies these regions.
- 2014: Invasion of Ukraine. Crimea, Donetsk and Luhansk Oblasts.
- 2022-Present: Full-Scale Invasion of Ukraine. Attempted full conquest of Ukraine and illegal annexation of the part of Ukraine (Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson, Zaporizhzhia Oblasts).
Moscow has already issued direct and indirect threats to multiple countries, signalling that Ukraine is not the final target.
- Baltic States (Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania). Russian officials have threatened these NATO members, testing Western resolve.
- Poland & Finland. Both nations have faced threats from Russian leadership and state media.
History shows that the cost of appeasement is always higher than the cost of resistance. Every moment of hesitation has emboldened Russia to escalate. If Ukraine falls, the next battlefield will be in the heart of Europe. The choice is clear — stand with Ukraine now or pay a far greater price later.
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