Putin has confirmed the course of war until the complete capture of Ukraine: what are the real intentions of the Kremlin

ISW analysts state that Putin is only playing for the capitulation of Ukraine.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has publicly reaffirmed his commitment to Russia’s maximalist war aims in Ukraine — the same objectives that led the Kremlin to launch its full-scale invasion in 2022 — rejecting the possibility of a peace settlement based on the U.S.-proposed 28-point plan, according to a new report by the Institute for the Study of War (ISW).

ISW analyzed Putin’s remarks made during a meeting of the collegium of Russia’s Ministry of Defense, where he stated that Moscow would “undoubtedly” achieve its military goals in Ukraine. While Putin claimed that Russia would prefer to pursue these goals through diplomatic means, he emphasized that they are aimed at eliminating what the Kremlin describes as the “root causes” of the war.

At the same time, Putin reiterated Russia’s readiness to use military force to achieve broader territorial ambitions if Ukraine and its Western partners “refuse to engage in substantive negotiations.” He again framed these ambitions as the “liberation of historic lands,” signaling continued commitment to territorial expansion beyond the areas Russia has already illegally annexed.

ISW notes that Putin and other senior Kremlin officials have repeatedly referred to large parts of Ukrainian territory — including areas outside the four regions Russia claims to have annexed — as “historically Russian.” Russian officials have specifically described cities such as Odesa as Russian, and have repeatedly invoked the concept of “Novorossiya,” a loosely defined and historically unfounded region in southern and eastern Ukraine that Moscow claims as an integral part of Russia, extending beyond the five regions it currently claims.

Russian glide bomb attack hits apartment buildings in Zaporizhzhia, injuring at least 32

Russian forces attacked the southeastern city of Zaporizhzhia with KAB guided aerial bombs around noon on December 17, injuring at least 32 people, including a child, Governor Ivan Fedorov said.

The strike hit two multistory residential buildings, as well as infrastructure and educational facilities. Fedorov warned that more people may still be trapped under the rubble. Ukraine’s State Emergency Service said the full extent of the damage and casualties is still being assessed.

In a separate strike elsewhere in Zaporizhzhia Oblast, one woman was injured, according to the governor.

Zaporizhzhia, which had a pre-war population of about 710,000, has been repeatedly targeted by Russian attacks since the start of the full-scale invasion in 2022.

The attack comes as Ukraine, the United States, and European partners continue efforts to finalize a peace agreement amid Washington’s push to end the war. Despite these diplomatic efforts, Russia continues regular strikes on Ukrainian cities, often targeting civilian and energy infrastructure.

Kryvyi Rih suffered from a severe Russian drone attack

On December 18, 2025, the city of Kryvyi Rih in Dnipropetrovsk Oblast, Ukraine, came under a Russian drone attack, resulting in injuries to four people and widespread fires across multiple sites.

The strikes damaged a private house, five two-storey residential buildings, an office building, a local community arts centre, several garages, and various outbuildings, many of which caught fire. Firefighters responded promptly and worked to extinguish the blazes amid the aftermath. Vladyslav Haivanenko, acting Head of the Dnipropetrovsk Oblast Military Administration, reported the details via Telegram. He specified that two women, aged 71 and 67, were hospitalized in moderate condition, while the other two injured individuals received outpatient treatment.

Ukrainian air defenses successfully downed eight Russian drones over Dnipropetrovsk Oblast during the broader incident. Earlier updates from Oleksandr Vilkul, Head of the Kryvyi Rih City Defence Council, had initially reported two injuries from the drone strikes on the city, with the casualty count later rising to four as more information emerged.