Institute for the Study of War
Ukraine regions controlled by Russia on August 22, 2025
Russia requires Ukraine to give the regions of Donetsk, Lugansk, Zaporijia and Kherson, whose annexation has claimed since September 2022, in addition to Crimea, taken in 2014, as well as the renunciation of Ukraine joining the NATO.
The Russian President, Vladimir Putinrequires international recognition of five regions attached by Russia, as a condition for a peace agreement with Ukraine.
However, Kiev and the general community do not recognize the legitimacy of Russian annexations of the Ukrainian territory.
“For peace to be lasting, the new territorial realities that have emerged (…) must be recognized and formalized according to international law,” said Russian diplomacy chief Serguei Lavrov, in an interview with the Indonesian newspaper Kompas.
The Ukrainian President, Volodymyr Zelenskyyin turn, it has required the Russian army completely retreat from Ukrainewhich, at this moment, occupies in about 20%.
Ukrainian diplomacy chief Andrii Sybiga immediately reacted to the statements of the Russian homologist, who described as “a new series of old ultimatos.”
“Russia has not changed brutal goals And it doesn’t show the slightest willingness for significant negotiations, ”said Sybiga on social networks, according to France-Presse (AFP) news agency.
“This proves that the aggressor’s appetite only grows when not subjected to pressure and strength. It’s time to attack the Russian war machine with New Severe Sanctions”Sybiga added.
What does Russia want?
Russia, which invaded the neighboring country in February 2022, requires the assignment of Donbass (east, formed by Donetsk and Lugansk), which does not completely control Recognition of the integration of Crimea in the Russian Federation.
I would be willing to freeze the conflict in the south – Zaporijia and Kherson – Throughout the current lines, according to Turkey, which hosted three sessions of negotiations between Russians and Ukrainians this year in Istanbul.
During the negotiations in Istanbul earlier this year, Russian negotiators demanded, as a previous condition for the end of the conflict Ukraine was completely withdrawn from the five regions in question.
The position was changed after the recent summit in Alaska between Putin and US homologous, Donald Trump, according to Ankara.
In the interview with the Indonesian newspaper Komoma, Lavrov also reaffirmed that “It is not possible to achieve lasting peace without eradicating the underlying causes of the conflict”.
These causes “include threats to Russia’s safety resulting from the expansion of NATO and the,” said Lavrov.
He defended the creation of “a new security warranty system for Russia and Ukraine as an integral part of an equal and indivisible Pan-Continental Architecture in Eurasia.”
Russia asks for respect for human rights
Lavrov also said that it is necessary to “guarantee restoration and respect for human rights in territories that remain under the control of the Kiev regime”.
Accused Kiev of being “exterminating everything related to RussiaRussians and Russian -language peoples, including Russian language, culture, traditions, canonical orthodoxy and the media in Russian language. ”
“Currently, Ukraine is the only country where the use of language spoken by a significant part of the population was prohibited”He added.
