Ukraine, General Bertolini: “Russia aims at Donbass? Putin does not change strategy”

“The security of Donbass is not a change of program but what Putin said from the beginning, that is to start a ‘special military operation’ in Ukraine with the aim of securing the two republics of Luhansk and Donetsk. Hence, Putin is keeping faith with his initial intention. A goal that NATO, however, never believed, because we have also seen other operations in Ukraine: towards Kiev, those that moved from Crimea to Odessa, stopping in Mykolaiv, and the strong pressure on Mariupol, which if not we miss a little fall. The city on the Sea of ​​Azov is undoubtedly part of the Donbass objective, and for this reason it must be controlled. “General Marco Bertolini, the former commander of the Coi (Operational Command of Summit Joint Forces), told Adnkronos, making a analysis of the Russian maneuvers in reference to Moscow’s intention to aim for the “complete liberation of the Donbass” and rumors of the end of the war on May 9. “The operations towards Kiev and Odessa, on the other hand, have never sank deeply: the center of the capital has never been affected by the fighting, the Russian forces have limited themselves to grating the periphery without entering the center – explains Bertolini – This is not for fear of resistance but because the interest is to keep a strong Ukrainian presence there in such a way not to reinforce the Donbass area. All operations that are going well for the Russians, given that they have obtained control of Izyum, south of Kharkiv, and from this position they are able to close behind the Ukrainians who are facing the units of the two republics of Donbass together with those Russian support “. Bertolini believes in Putin’s will and interest in reaching a negotiation that will allow the fighting to end, having achieved the objectives he had declared at the beginning of the operation, but believes the symbolic date of 9 May at which would have referred to Moscow only as a symbolically significant wish, but nothing more: “In any case, this would demonstrate that the negotiation activity is going on, despite being overshadowed by Zelensky’s round of speeches to European parliaments and by the meeting with Biden in Brussels – he specifies – And if it is going forward we must be grateful to countries like Turkey, which have managed to maintain a third position “.” Entr Both parties – Bertolini continues – know very well that outside the negotiations there is no possibility of concluding the operations. Negotiations in which both Russia and Ukraine could boast before the public opinion that they have won something: Putin could say that he has won the independence of Donbass, Russian sovereignty over Crimea and that Ukraine does not join NATO. For his part, Zelensky could say that he has won a great political battle by demonstrating to the whole world the courage of his people, of having maintained independence while renouncing NATO and some portion of territory. Under normal conditions (which means not having anyone blowing on the fire from the outside), both parties could thus feel satisfied and close. But, unfortunately, it’s not just them at stake. “