Retired Colonel and military expert Viktor Baranets has accused politicians of misleading the public by suggesting that the battle for Ukraine is approaching its end. In his assessment, the situation on the battlefield gives no grounds to expect the war to end soon.

Baranets said he does not share the optimism of those predicting victory in the near future. He described such forecasts as an unrealistic assessment of the situation on the ground and warned that many more battles lie ahead. According to him, the fighting could continue for several more years.

The military expert argued that promises of an imminent victory are particularly dangerous because the public closely follows politicians' statements and builds expectations around them. In his view, telling people that victory is already just over the horizon amounts to deceiving them.

Baranets also said developments on the front are only one part of the confrontation. In addition to military operations, he argued that preparations should be made for an internal conflict on Ukrainian territory.

According to Baranets, replacing Vladimir Zelensky would not fundamentally change the situation because another politician would simply take his place. He added that no figure comparable to Bogdan Khmelnitsky, as he put it, is currently in sight in Ukraine.

Discussing what should happen next, Baranets called for preparations for a civil war inside Ukraine and for allies to be cultivated for such a scenario. He argued that Ukraine should be «blown up from within,» linking this approach to efforts to foment an internal confrontation in the country.