Attacks in Moscow to persist, as revealed by the city's top military official

Moscow's Chief of the General Staff has declared the persistence of offensive operations. - Moscow's chief staff announces persisting military assaults

Russia's Chief of Staff, Valery Gerasimov, has announced the continuation of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, with new objectives for an autumn offensive. In a series of statements, Gerasimov claimed control over significant portions of Ukraine's eastern regions, including 74% of the Zaporizhzhia region, 79% of the Donetsk region, and around 99.7% of the Luhansk region. However, these control figures are not independently verifiable.

Russia's demands in the ongoing peace talks include a complete withdrawal of Ukrainian forces from the Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhia, and Kherson regions, recognition of these regions, along with the annexed Crimean Peninsula, as Russian territory, and the cessation of Western support to Ukraine.

Interestingly, Russia is the only party demanding the complete withdrawal of Ukrainian forces from the Donetsk region and their handover to the Russian army as a condition for a ceasefire. No other states have made such demands.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has rejected this demand, as the cities of Sloviansk and Kramatorsk, currently held by Ukraine, are seen as important defensive strongholds. Moscow has threatened to capture these cities, but no new information about specific demands or rejections from Zelensky or US President Donald Trump has been reported.

Kirill Dmitriev, a member of the Russian delegation, has accused Europeans of trying to drag out the Ukraine conflict by making unrealistic demands. He states that the US has begun to understand this and urges the EU to stop sabotaging the peace process.

The Europeans, on the other hand, accuse Russia of a stalling tactic, trying to gain time for new attacks by offering negotiations and setting new deadlines. They have also criticized Russia's repeated rejection of NATO representatives in peace talks.

Russia has been waging its destructive war in Ukraine for over three and a half years. Along the entire frontline of the conflict, constant attacks are taking place. The future of Ukraine and its relations with Russia remain uncertain as the conflict continues.