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Updated Russian miliary maps seem to show new plans from the Kremlin.
Ukraine’s eastern front is again under intense scrutiny as new battlefield objectives emerge.
Fresh assessments from Kyiv suggest Moscow is pushing toward key urban targets despite mounting resistance.
But Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky says the timeline set by Russia is unrealistic, even as fighting escalates across Donetsk Oblast.
Ambitious deadline
According to The Kyiv Independent, Zelensky said a a closed breefing on April 8, that Russia aims to seize several remaining Ukrainian-held strongholds in Donetsk, including Druzhkivka, Kostiantynivka and Pokrovsk, by the end of April.
“This is impossible, but this is not the first time they’ve set a deadline, and now they’ve set this target for themselves,” he said, adding British intelligence shares that view.
His comments follow his review of updated Russian military maps with senior commanders. Moscow had earlier claimed to have taken Pokrovsk, a key logistics hub, in December 2025.
Zelensky later shared the information about the updated Russian maps in a post on Telegram.
Growing pressure
Despite sustained losses inflicted by Ukrainian forces, Russia is managing to expand its troop presence, Zelensky said, without detailing countermeasures discussed with military leaders.
According to Russian legal records cited in March, President Vladimir Putin approved an expansion of the armed forces to nearly 2.4 million personnel.
The Kremlin continues to rely on contract recruitment and financial incentives rather than a full mobilization, aiming to avoid domestic backlash seen after the 2022 draft.
Diplomatic window
Zelensky warned that the coming months could prove challenging as international efforts to end the war continue.
“In my view, the Americans won’t give anyone more time regarding this dialogue,” he said, noting U.S. attention may shift toward domestic elections by late summer.
He stressed that sustained pressure on Moscow will depend heavily on Western allies’ willingness to respond decisively to broader security threats.
Sources: The Kyiv Independent, Reuters, AP
