Russia has made its conditions for a ceasefire in Ukraine increasingly explicit, with senior Kremlin aide Yury Ushakov stating that hostilities can end only if Ukrainian forces fully withdraw from the Donbas region. His remarks, published by the Russian newspaper Kommersant, underline Moscow’s insistence that all remaining Ukrainian-held areas in Donetsk must fall under Russian authority.
Ushakov said that a ceasefire would be possible only “after the withdrawal of Ukrainian troops,” making clear that if Kyiv does not agree to this through negotiations, Russia intends to enforce it through continued military operations. He added that Russia expects the entire Donbas to come under its control before any political settlement can proceed.
At present, Russian forces occupy all of Luhansk and roughly 80 per cent of the Donetsk region. However, Ukraine maintains control over several major, heavily fortified urban centres, including Sloviansk and Kramatorsk, which continue to resist Russian advances.
Discussing Moscow’s proposed security arrangements, Ushakov said that under a peace deal, the Russian Armed Forces might not be stationed in areas currently held by Ukraine. Instead, Russia’s National Guard—known as Rosgvardiya—could be deployed there to “maintain order and organise life.” He suggested that both Russian and Ukrainian military units could be absent, leaving Rosgvardiya as the primary force on the ground.
Rosgvardiya is a large internal security force of about 400,000 personnel, including Chechen units that have been highly active in the war. In 2023, Russia authorised the National Guard to operate heavy weapons such as tanks and artillery, significantly enhancing its combat role.
The proposal signals Moscow’s aim to secure political and administrative control over all of Donbas, even in areas not presently captured, as a precondition for halting the conflict.
