Russia Dismisses Ukraine's Victory as 'Delusional' Amid New Territorial Gains
On Monday, November 10, the Russian government stated it would be 'delusional' for anyone to believe that Ukraine could emerge victorious from the ongoing war. This declaration coincided with a military announcement from Moscow confirming the capture of three additional villages along the extensive front line.
Moscow's Military Advances and Stated Objectives
Russia's defence ministry reported that its forces had successfully taken control of the villages of Slodkie and Nove in the Zaporizhzhia region, as well as Gnativka in the Donetsk area. Despite these gains, which Moscow continues to pursue by leveraging its advantage in manpower and equipment, the territorial progress remains slow and comes at a high cost, nearly four years after the full-scale invasion began.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov asserted that European leaders are misleading themselves by assuming that Kyiv could secure a win through military force. He emphasized that the current situation on the battlefield suggests the opposite is true. Peskov insisted that the conflict will only conclude when Moscow achieves the objectives it set out at the start of the invasion.
Conflicting Narratives and Stalled Peace Efforts
Russia justifies its actions by claiming it is fighting to protect Russian speakers, prevent NATO's eastward expansion, and remove what it labels 'neo-Nazis' from power in Ukraine. These claims have been consistently dismissed by Kyiv and Western governments as baseless.
In contrast, Ukraine and its allies maintain that the war is an imperial-style land grab that has resulted in tens of thousands of deaths, triggering the largest conflict in Europe since World War II. Attempts by former US President Donald Trump to broker a peace deal have stalled, with Moscow refusing to consider a ceasefire unless Ukraine fully withdraws from the Donbas and renounces all Western military support.
Kyiv has deemed these demands unacceptable and equivalent to surrender, arguing that such terms would leave the nation vulnerable to future attacks. Peskov concluded by stating that Russia holds the initiative on the front and has no intention of stopping its military campaign.
