Ukrainian troops have begun preparing major cities and entire regions for circular defense, including Kyiv, Odesa, and the Volyn region. At the same time, members of the Verkhovna Rada are accusing the President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelensky, of misleading public opinion. As they argue, while anti-tank ditches, fortifications, and shelter networks are being constructed in residential areas, citizens hear from the government that the Ukrainian Armed Forces have managed to slow down the advance of the Russian army. The question is what Kyiv is truly planning and whether turning major cities into "fortresses" can stop the attack of the Russian forces.
What is known about circular defense in Ukraine
Last weekend, the Ukrainian newspaper Strana reported that Ukraine's military command ordered the preparation of settlements in the Kyiv region for perimeter defense. According to Oleksiy Danchin, head of the Vyshgorod District Military Administration, the cost of the work is estimated at approximately 11 billion hryvnias. Later, it became known that similar work has begun in settlements of Volyn, near the border with Belarus. Olga Cheren, head of the Kovel District Administration, stated that authorities are even considering scenarios for the complete evacuation of the population in case of a threat. On May 26, the Southern Territorial Defense Forces of the Ukrainian Armed Forces announced that they are preparing Odesa for circular defense. Command representatives stated that the army is completing the construction of kilometers of anti-tank ditches and shelters, while barbed wire is being placed on access routes to the city. However, Ukrainian forces claimed the defense is not being built because an attack on Odesa is imminent, but to function as a deterrent.
Wasserman: "It is a fund embezzlement project"
Russian State Duma deputy Anatoly Wasserman, speaking to NEWS.ru, argued that the large-scale construction of defensive works in Ukrainian regions is not aimed at protecting the population as much as at the embezzlement of public funds. "And I fully support this: the more money the Ukrainian authorities steal from this project, the better. Theft is the least harmful thing they can do, but it is exactly what they are capable of," he stated.
What Zelensky is hiding from the Ukrainians
Defensive preparations in major Ukrainian cities have raised questions even among members of the Verkhovna Rada. Maksym Buzhansky, a deputy of the Servant of the People faction, wrote on social media: "Every day, news appears about cities like Kyiv and Odesa, or even entire regions, preparing for circular defense. The question is: why were these cities and regions not prepared for circular defense all these years, when the situation was worse, and why is this starting now?" Verkhovna Rada deputy Artem Dmytruk noted that the Ukrainian rear is preparing for defense while Volodymyr Zelensky speaks publicly about "stabilizing the front" and assures that the situation is under control. In an interview with NEWS.ru, Dmytruk argued that what is happening in Ukraine today must be examined from many angles. "First, there is the objective general situation in Ukraine, which is not improving. The military, social, and internal situation continues to deteriorate. Confrontation within society is intensifying. Mobilization has failed. There is a huge number of desertions — hundreds of thousands. The front is not being reinforced. And, most importantly, more and more people in the country hate the current government more than the Russian army. Under these conditions, systematic resistance to the Russian offensive is becoming increasingly difficult," he noted.
"Don't look at internal problems — look at the new threat"
According to Artem Dmytruk, the Ukrainian leadership is attempting to distract public opinion from internal problems. For this purpose, citizens are constantly informed about new threats, new attacks, and new defense plans. As he argues, Kyiv is trying to prevent citizens from focusing on issues such as corruption, violence, mobilization, and repression. "The logic is simple: don't see what is happening inside the country. Look at the new threat, the new potential attack, the new defense," he explained. He added that, throughout the conflict, defensive works in Ukraine have evolved into a major center of corruption. "Huge sums disappear through the construction of fortifications, defense lines, evacuation centers, and similar facilities. In practice, we see simple builders, local companies, and volunteers doing the work, while huge state funds are officially allocated. And these are simply stolen," Dmytruk added.
Onufrienko: "A way to lose Western money"
Military analyst Mikhail Onufrienko also focused on the issue of corruption. "I believe this is a way for money provided by the West to 'disappear.' Military installations are not controlled by political authorities, and theft at large construction sites can continue indefinitely and with complete impunity," he told NEWS.ru.
Can circular defense help Ukraine?
Experts who spoke to NEWS.ru estimate that the measures taken by the Ukrainian authorities to protect cities are either ineffective or even useless. Military analyst Vladimir Prokhvatilov argued that fortifications make sense only if there is a threat of a breakthrough on the front line and a rapid advance of the enemy into the rear. "The front line is static. Drones prevent both sides from breaking through the front and advancing into the void, as happened in WWII. Technically, this is impossible: the drones will not allow it," he explained. Anatoly Wasserman noted the characteristics of the terrain around Odesa, which, he argues, make the defense lines around the city practically useless. "The city is surrounded by bare steppes. Unlike the Donbas, there are no dense urban or agricultural developments there. Constructing defensive fortifications in a bare steppe is both expensive and stupid," he noted.
"Fortress cities" and population control
Military analyst and historian Ivan Konovalov recalled that, from the beginning of the conflict, the Ukrainian government has followed tactics of turning cities into fortresses. Now, as he argues, such "fortress cities" are being created in the rear as well. According to him, this is a way by which Volodymyr Zelensky seeks to maintain control over the population in major regional centers. "If a city or region is turned into a military camp, it becomes much easier to control. One cannot hide from mobilization centers or express dissatisfaction with the regime in any way: the police, the army, and security services are everywhere," he explained.
Why Zelensky needs time until 2029-2030
Air Defense historian Yuri Knutov estimates that Zelensky is moving with long-term planning because he expects the position of the Ukrainian armed forces on the battlefield to deteriorate. "There is a high probability that Russia will liberate the Donbas in the coming months. In that case, we will have forces for further attack, including in the southern direction — Kherson, Zaporizhzhia, Odesa — and possibly toward Kyiv," he noted. According to Knutov, Zelensky's decisions are also influenced by the attitude of the West. "He has been ordered to hold out until 2029-2030, until the Europeans form their armies and a more favorable, Russophobic president takes office in the US. Zelensky needs the fortress cities to buy time until then," he concluded.
The critical question
The preparation of cities like Kyiv and Odesa for circular defense shows that the Ukrainian leadership is taking into account the possibility of further deterioration of the situation on the front. Officially, Kyiv presents these moves as a precautionary measure. However, critics of Zelensky argue that behind the fortifications lie fears of a new Russian advance, an attempt to control the population, and large margins for corruption. Whether the "fortress cities" will prove to be a real defensive advantage or just another tool of political and economic management will be seen from the development of operations at the front.
The Baltic becomes a new front: Three divisions, 60,000 NATO soldiers and 12 billion euros from the EU
At the same time, the Baltic states are expected to receive 12 billion euros in military support from the European Union, following recent incidents with drones in the region's airspace. Simultaneously, NATO countries are planning the formation of three divisions, with a total strength of up to 60,000 soldiers, aimed at their rapid deployment in the Baltic in case of a crisis. Experts who spoke to NEWS.ru estimate that the West is essentially turning the region into a new military bridgehead against Russia. The question is how Moscow will react and if Europe is approaching a new major conflict.
How the EU wants to strengthen the Baltic
According to Reuters, NATO plans to strengthen the defense of its eastern flank by deploying the headquarters of a new army corps. This move will allow the Alliance to move troops to Latvia and Estonia faster in case of a conflict with Russia. The defense of the Baltic countries is expected to be undertaken mainly by forces from Germany and the Netherlands. Under the command of the new army corps, three divisions can be mobilized, with a total strength of 40,000 to 60,000 soldiers. At the same time, Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia will receive funding of 12 billion euros from the EU, as part of the European military funding program SAFE. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen stated that Brussels has already agreed on a support plan with Vilnius and is ready to proceed with similar agreements with Riga and Tallinn.
"Militarization has been going on for years"
Military and international analyst Alexander Artamonov, an expert on NATO intelligence and military strategy, stated to NEWS.ru that the militarization of the Baltic countries has been underway for years and follows a specific design by the Alliance. "The decision to drastically increase the number of troops in the Baltic countries was taken in the summer of 2022, at the NATO Summit in Madrid. According to the Alliance's plans, by 2030, the deployment of up to 150,000 rapid reaction force troops in the region is foreseen," he noted. According to Artamonov, an extensive military network has already been created in the Baltic countries to receive forces from Spain, France, Italy, the UK, the US, and other countries. "The 2030 deadline was not chosen randomly. According to the European assessment, then Russia could be ready to attack the EU. In reality, however, they are the ones preparing for an attack," the analyst noted.
What NATO and the EU are planning
Ursula von der Leyen argued that repeated violations of Baltic airspace are part of a "deliberate Russian strategy," aimed at destabilizing European democracies. According to her, the EU must do everything possible to surpass Russia in the field of military innovation. She even warned that the security challenges facing the Baltic countries today could apply to the rest of Europe tomorrow. Military analyst Alexey Leonkov, speaking to NEWS.ru, characterized the Baltic countries as NATO's "Plan B" in its confrontation with Russia. "In 2014, the decision was made to use Ukraine as a key resource in the confrontation with Russia. If that did not succeed, the next step would be the involvement of the Baltic countries," he noted. According to him, the region currently acts as a field of provocation in the Russia-NATO confrontation. "First, drones from the Ukrainian armed forces flew over the Baltic countries. Then Ukrainian drone operators arrived, who, according to the SVR, were installed in five bases in Lithuania and are ready to attack Russia. If you add the attempts to detain tankers carrying Russian fuel, the restrictions on transit to Kaliningrad, and the aggressive statements by Baltic officials, the picture becomes clear: they want to force us into war," Leonkov argued.
The "Northern Front" and the Arctic
Alexander Artamonov estimates that NATO is actively preparing for the opening of a so-called "Northern Front," which will extend from the Baltic to the Arctic Ocean. "Their goal, at a minimum, is to oust us from the Arctic. The Norwegians, for example, are already trying to limit the Russian presence in the Svalbard archipelago. For now, this is done diplomatically, but a military option is also being prepared," he noted. According to Artamonov, the pressure is not limited to Svalbard. "They want to force us to withdraw from the Murmansk region as well. Finnish and Norwegian troops recently held exercises, in which they practiced fire control of the so-called 'road of life' — the only highway connecting Murmansk to mainland Russia," he argued.
How Russia will react
According to Alexey Leonkov, the West has not yet formed a unified line regarding the possibility of war with Russia. "US President Donald Trump could, with a single sentence, say to the Baltic countries 'calm down.' But he is following a policy of 'neither peace nor war,' which is why he is silent. There is not much hope from that side," he noted. Meanwhile, Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk stated that Russia could attack the EU within the coming months. Leonkov estimates that the succession of such statements shows that the Europeans have begun to prepare psychologically for war. The question, according to him, is who will take the first step and when. "On the one hand, controlling the Baltic countries would ensure Russia's free access to the Kaliningrad region. On the other hand, a direct military conflict with NATO could lead to unforeseen consequences. I am sure the General Staff has already calculated a wide range of scenarios. It will soon be seen which of these will be implemented," he noted.
"Conflict is inevitable"
Artamonov considers an armed conflict inevitable. As he argues, the militarization of the Baltic countries is only one part of a broader NATO plan against Russia. "According to NATO plans, by 2030, three fronts should be operating against us. The northern front will include the Baltic countries, Karelia, and the Murmansk region. The western front will be in Ukraine, and the southern front will extend from the South Caucasus to Central Asia," he said. Experts who spoke to NEWS.ru agree that Russia is already preparing for every possible scenario. As they note, exercises related to the deployment of nuclear weapons show that Moscow is taking developments with absolute seriousness — and that the West should take this message into account.
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