Russia-Ukraine War — 2026-04-01

Kremlin Demands Zelenskyy Withdraw Forces from Donbas Today

Kremlin spokesperson Peskov demanded Zelenskyy decide on withdrawing Ukrainian troops from the Donbas "today," framing the ultimatum alongside Russia's claim of full Luhansk control. The demand coincides with Bloomberg reporting that both sides are preparing for a new phase of the war while global attention remains fixed on Iran. Ukrainian military reported repelling the largest mechanized assault of the year on the Slovyansk axis.

Analysis
Pairing the Luhansk "full control" claim with an ultimatum for Ukrainian withdrawal is a coordinated information operation. The demand is non-actionable: Ukraine cannot withdraw from contested territory during active combat. It establishes a public predicate for rejecting future negotiations by framing Ukrainian presence as the obstacle to peace.
2 sources
  1. Peskov: Zelenskyy must decide on withdrawal of Ukrainian troops from Donbas today - APA
  2. Kremlin says Ukraine should have pulled out yesterday - Global Banking and Finance

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