Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has revealed shocking statistics: the Russian political leadership has already postponed the deadline for the full capture of the Donetsk region 15 times. The latest, "guaranteed" date is December 31, 2025. But history knows this scenario is not for the first time.

Calendar of failures: from 2022 to 2025

According to data announced by the head of state, the Russian command regularly sets artificial deadlines for capturing the territory, which invariably fail. The list of these "deadlines" looks like a chronicle of military failures:

  • 2022: Deadlines shifted from March 31 to May 9, then to June 1, September 15, and December 31.
  • 2023: Dates were set until March 1 and until December 31.
  • 2024: Two more deadline postponements.
  • 2025: In an attempt to convince Donald Trump of Ukraine's imminent collapse, Moscow named three final dates: September 1, December 1, and December 25.

In 2026, the scenario repeated. First, it was planned to complete the occupation by March 31, then the deadline was moved to September 1. Now the Kremlin insists that the Donetsk region will be fully under control by December 31 of this year.

"Hitting a wall" and the cost of error

Zelenskyy emphasized that if Russia does not end the war, this deadline will also be postponed. The President asked whether Vladimir Putin is ready to "lay down another million of his soldiers" to continue hitting "this wall".

He drew attention to the situation inside Russia, pointing out that millions of citizens who have not yet been mobilized and are forced to stand in lines for gasoline should think about what awaits them next. According to the Ukrainian leader, Kyiv has already offered all conditions for ending the conflict, but Moscow refuses to negotiate every time.

Reality on the front line versus propaganda

While the Kremlin intensifies statements about advancing in Donbas, the reality on the front line looks different. A Russian recruit may live from 20 to 35 minutes after reaching combat positions. The main reason for such high mortality remains Ukrainian Armed Forces drones.

International media, in particular CNN, note that Moscow's aggressive rhetoric about capturing territories often sounds against the backdrop of Ukraine's strikes on Russian targets. Experts and analysts express serious doubts about the truthfulness of such statements, pointing out that they serve only as a tool of internal propaganda.