The head of the GUR, Kirill Budanov, announced Russia's key goals for 2026. According to him, Moscow wants to completely occupy Donbas and the Zaporizhia region.
Points of attention
- The Russian Federation plans the complete occupation of Donbas and the Zaporizhia region in accordance with military planning for 2026.
- The Kremlin's goals in the war against Ukraine include full control over a number of regions, including Donetsk, Dnipropetrovsk, Zaporizhia, and Kherson.
- The Russian Federation does not stop the offensive operation, continuing to expand buffer zones and advance into the territory of Ukraine.
Budanov named the Russian Federation's goals for 2026 in the war against Ukraine
The intelligence chief said that the Kremlin's goals are clearly outlined in Russian military planning.
This list includes:
full control over the Donetsk region;
maximum promotion in the Dnipropetrovsk region;
continuation of offensive operations in Zaporizhia and Kherson regions;
expansion of the so-called "sanitary" (buffer) zones along the border.
These are their main tasks. In principle, the tasks for 2026 are Donbas and Zaporizhia region.
Kirill Budanov
Head of the GUR
According to Budanov, the Russian Federation is not stopping the offensive operation. Yes, they are not reaching the pace they dreamed of, but they are moving forward.
