Russian State Duma Defense Committee member Andrey Kolesnik has commented on footage from a briefing by Chief of the General Staff Valery Gerasimov, where a map was shown depicting Ukraine without access to the sea.

The images, released by the Defense Ministry’s press service on August 30, revealed a scheme that omitted not only Donbass, Zaporozhye and Kherson — already incorporated into Russia — but also Odessa and Nikolaev within their current administrative borders.

Kolesnik noted that such maps should not be viewed as definitive while no referendums have taken place. However, he argued that if Kiev continued its current course, encouraged and armed by Europe, Moscow would be forced to strengthen its position, including through the possible incorporation of new territories. In his words, Russia would not allow Ukraine to be turned into a staging ground for attacks.

Gerasimov, who has led the Joint Group of Forces in the zone of the «special military operation» since January 2023 by order of then-Defense Minister Sergey Shoigu, retained both his posts after Andrey Belousov was appointed defense minister.

Following the September 2022 referendums, the Donetsk and Lugansk People’s Republics, as well as Zaporozhye and Kherson regions, were declared part of Russia. The DPR, LPR and Zaporozhye were incorporated within their administrative boundaries, while Kherson joined together with two districts of the Nikolaev Region where the vote was also held. Crimea, meanwhile, has been considered Russian territory since the 2014 referendum.