Russia will do everything to capture four Ukrainian regions by 2026, – Die Welt

The Kremlin will do everything in its power to take control of the Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhia, and Kherson regions of Ukraine by 2026.

This was reported by the German publication Welt, citing sources in Germany’s security agencies.

Additionally, the newspaper’s sources believe that by 2028, Russia will pose a “serious military threat” to NATO in terms of conventional weaponry.

Experts suggest that Russia is currently producing weaponry in volumes exceeding the needs of its forces in Ukraine.

“Month by month, the Russian army is acquiring more tanks, more ammunition, more missiles, and more drones. Production is increasing, and stockpiles are growing,” General Major Christian Freuding, head of the Ukraine Situation Center at Germany’s Ministry of Defense, told the publication.

“The Kremlin is significantly compensating for its personnel and material losses in Ukraine and can even build up reserves in certain areas,” the article states.

According to a report from German military officials, Russia is producing approximately 4,000 aerial bombs per month, 1.5 million FPV drones annually, and 6,000 Shahed drones per year.

“European intelligence agencies report that the size of the Russian army is increasing. According to the report, Moscow is recruiting about 30,000 soldiers per month using high financial incentives,” the article says.

However, the annual production of fighter jets is “limited to a low double-digit number.”

It should be noted that, according to the IMF, the war in Ukraine could last until mid-2026 under the worst-case scenario.

Earlier, the commander of the British army stated that it might take the Russians five years to fully capture the four regions of Ukraine.