Russian Lawmaker Viktor Sobolev Proposes Reaching Ukraine's Western Borders by 2030 to Halt Strikes
Viktor Sobolev, a member of the State Duma Defense Committee, has stated that Russian forces must advance to Ukraine's western borders by 2030. This objective, according to Sobolev, is crucial to effectively stop drone and missile strikes on Russian territory and to secure the country from future threats. He emphasized that achieving this goal would necessitate major offensive operations. Sobolev outlined two essential conditions for success: protecting Russian troops from drone attacks and establishing air superiority. He also warned that if a reduced western part of Ukraine were to remain intact, it would continue to pose a threat and tie down significant Russian forces, potentially being exploited by European nations. Sobolev previously indicated that a buffer zone created by Russian forces should encompass the Chernigov, Sumy, Kharkov, Dnepropetrovsk, Odessa, and Nikolayev regions, deeming the inclusion of the latter two as virtually inevitable. 
