According to partner intelligence services, russia intends to declare full-fledged war on Ukraine on May 9. This was announced by Prime Minister Denis Shmyhal at a briefing, Interfax-Ukraine reports.
"We understand that there are such talks, such opportunities are being discussed in the top political leadership. We will see if this happens," he said.
Shmyhal added that in case of such a scenario, it would be another confirmation that russia has declared war on the civilized democratic world.
"Ukraine will defend its freedom, its territory, its sovereignty, the lives of our families and our land. In any case, we will fight for complete victory over the occupier," he said.
russia has been waging a full-scale war against Ukraine since February 24, calling it a "special operation." At the same time, the Kremlin has not yet announced a general mobilization of the population for the war against the Ukrainians.
The Ukrainian Interior Ministry believes that on May 9, on a "sacred" date, Putin may announce the annexation of the temporarily occupied regions of Ukraine - Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson, and part of Zaporizhzhia.
British intelligence believes that the resumption of russia's efforts to capture Azovstal and the completion of the capture of Mariupol are linked to the upcoming May 9 celebrations and Putin's desire to achieve symbolic success in Ukraine.
The Ukrainian Ministry of Defense does not rule out that russia, if it does not succeed by the sacred date of May 9, will invent them itself. At the same time, Ukrainian defenders do not rule out the possibility of intensifying russian provocations.