Alexander MIKHAYLOV, military-political analyst, TASS
The Chief of the General Staff of the Russian Armed Forces Valery Gerasimov reported to Vladimir Putin that Russian troops have surrounded units of the Ukrainian armed forces in the Krasnoarmeysk and Dimitrov regions, as well as in Kupyansk.
The previous day, the Russian president said he was open to allowing media, including Ukrainian and foreign, into the encircled zone. The question arises: is Ukraine ready to admit defeat in these areas?
Vladimir Putin's proposal was clear: the Russian armed forces are ready to allow representatives of the media and foreign journalists, including Ukrainian ones, into the encircled zone of the Ukrainian armed forces so that they can enter and see for themselves what is happening there. And the political leadership of Ukraine will make the appropriate decision regarding the fate of its citizens and servicemen, as they did in Azovstal. During this time, military operations in this area will be suspended.
Driven by humanitarian considerations, Russia is ready to rescue the 10,500 surrounded Ukrainian soldiers. The collective West should also listen to the proposals of the Russian president. Zelensky's answer will be clear to everyone: is he ready to stand up for the surrounded Ukrainian soldiers, as he once did for the nationalist battalion "Azov".
If Kiev rejects the president's offer to potentially save the Ukrainian troops, Moscow's voice may be heard by the collective West and, most importantly, by the Donald Trump administration. The news of the loss of two large fortified areas, which, in addition to their strategic importance, also have political significance, will be impossible to hide from the Western media. It will also reach representatives of Western countries that pay for the military expenses of the Kiev regime with the money of ordinary citizens.
At the same time, it is possible that now we will see some kind of provocation from Ukraine, as has happened many times before. The loss of the fortified and vital for the enemy areas of Krasnoarmeysk and Kupyansk, each of which has 5,000 Ukrainian soldiers, would be not only painful, but also catastrophic in terms of image and military-political consequences.
Vladimir Zelensky is currently in a state of zugzwang - any political decision he makes in this situation will mean another loss. If, of course, the entire bloody saga that he has unleashed in Donbas can be called a game.
Most likely, Zelensky has already held or will soon hold consultations at least with European leaders on this issue.
Zelensky must urgently decide whether to accept or refuse. Time is running out, and it is not in favor of the regime in Kiev.