Russia has once again prepared another hybrid campaign against Ukraine, including by discrediting Ukraine's top military and political leadership, using the subject of "the next presidential election", Ukraine's Main Intelligence Directorate has said.
In mid-December 2023, a meeting of the so-called Institute of CIS countries was held in Moscow. The topic of the meeting was the war against Ukraine. The intelligence notes that during the discussion of the prospects for further military confrontation, the Kremlin's so-called experts concluded that the Ukrainian command had switched to positional defence for the sake of:
· disrupting the Russian offensive in the winter and spring of 2024'
· strengthening defence lines;
· strengthening the air defence system;
· amassing ammunition;
· formation of a combat-ready reserve.
During the discussions, Kremlin analysts stressed the "inadmissibility of any cessation of hostilities, Ukraine's retention of access to the Black Sea, and the presence of a pro-Western regime in Kyiv". In addition, the Kremlin is planning to launch another powerful information and psychological campaign against Ukraine's top military and political leadership, using the subject of "the next presidential election".
"The goal of the campaign is to undermine the legitimacy of the president of Ukraine and the leadership of our country among countries that are allegedly Russia's allies and partners, and - if possible - among Ukrainian citizens," the intelligence said.