UK intelligence: Kremlin may see military’s failure to occupy Donetsk as setback for its objectives in Ukraine

The Kremlin will likely see the military’s failure to occupy the entirety of Donetsk Oblast thus far as a setback for its maximalist objectives in Ukraine.

Caliber.Az reports referring to the Defence Intelligence update on the situation in Ukraine, which is published by the UK Defence Ministry on August 15.

On August 11, Russian media reported that Denis Pushilin, head of the so-called Donetsk People’s Republic (DPR), had said that the date of a referendum on the DPR joining Russia will be announced after the DPR’s "complete liberation".

Previously, in June 2022, investigative journalists published evidence of a DPR planning strategy for running such a referendum and for ensuring that at least 70 per cent of votes were in favour of joining Russia.

It is likely that Russia is in the advanced planning stages to hold a referendum, though it is unclear if the final decision to go ahead with a vote has yet been taken, the report said.

Latest Defence Intelligence update on the situation in Ukraine - 15 August 2022

Find out more about the UK government's response: https://t.co/6TpEvHdDB9

🇺🇦 #StandWithUkraine 🇺🇦 pic.twitter.com/hKzX3KFOoC

— Ministry of Defence 🇬🇧 (@DefenceHQ) August 15, 2022