March 2 - Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy stated on Monday that Russia’s armed forces have not achieved the objectives they outlined last year and are unlikely to accomplish the further advances Moscow is reportedly seeking.

Speaking to reporters in Kyiv, Zelenskiy said the Kremlin’s ambition to seize the entirety of eastern Ukraine, along with additional southern territories, remains in place.

He added that Russia is also aiming to push toward the southeastern city of Dnipro and is examining possibilities for advancing in the southern Odesa region along the Black Sea coast.

According to Zelenskiy, Ukraine has obtained maps detailing Russian military plans for 2026–2027. However, he described those plans as detached from reality, arguing that Russia lacks the capacity to carry them out.

“We know what they are seeking to do. Their primary focus remains unchanged — the occupation of eastern Ukraine, particularly the Donetsk and Luhansk regions,” he said.

“They also intend to move further toward the Zaporizhzhia region and in the direction of the city of Dnipro. And while this presents significant challenges for them, they are still setting their sights on the Odesa region.”

At present, Zelenskiy noted that Ukraine does not believe Russian forces have the necessary resources to achieve the objectives outlined in those documents. He emphasized that future developments will depend largely on the level of military assistance Kyiv receives and the country’s own defense production efforts.

Russian troops have continued a gradual offensive in the eastern Donbas area, which includes the Donetsk and Luhansk regions. On Monday, Russia’s Defence Ministry reported that its forces had taken control of three additional villages.

Meanwhile, Ukraine’s General Staff announced that its military had regained control of nine settlements in the southern Zaporizhzhia region since late January and is continuing counteroffensive operations along the southeastern front.

Territorial control remains one of the most difficult issues in negotiations mediated by the United States. Moscow is demanding that Ukraine relinquish parts of the Donetsk region that Russian forces have yet to capture, a proposal that Zelenskiy firmly rejects.