“Putin Ordered Russian General Staff to Prepare Plans for Capturing Kyiv,” Syrskyi Says

Key Points:

• Russian President Vladimir Putin has ordered the military to evaluate options for new offensives, including potential strikes on Kyiv, with Ukraine's Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi identifying a likely attack from Russia's Bryansk region toward Chernihiv.
• Ukrainian authorities have mandated evacuations for 12 border settlements in Chernihiv starting July 1 and extended orders for 7 others, reflecting heightened security concerns amid preparations for possible renewed Russian offensives.
• Syrskyi expressed skepticism that Belarus would allow its territory to be used for attacks on Ukraine, citing logistical challenges and difficult terrain, while noting that the Chornobyl area favors Ukrainian defensive positions.
• The potential Russian offensive aims to expand the active front and force Ukraine to redeploy forces away from critical areas, increasing pressure on Ukrainian defenses in the north.
• Herman Gref, head of Russia's Sberbank and a longtime Putin ally, publicly called for a swift end to military operations, reflecting growing concern within Russia about the economic impacts of the ongoing war, with polls indicating 81% of Russians favor stopping the invasion immediately.