Kremlin Conditions Ceasefire on Ukrainian Withdrawal From Donbas, Ushakov Says

A senior Kremlin adviser said a ceasefire in Ukraine would only be possible if Ukrainian forces leave the Donbas region, placing remaining territory under Russian control.

By yourNEWS Media Newsroom

A ceasefire in Ukraine can only be achieved if Kyiv withdraws its forces from the entire Donbas region, according to Kremlin foreign policy aide Yury Ushakov, who said Russia would otherwise pursue control of the territory through military means.

Ushakov made the remarks in comments reported Friday by the Russian newspaper Kommersant. He said that any pause in fighting is contingent on the complete withdrawal of Ukrainian troops from Donetsk and Luhansk regions.

“A ceasefire can only come about after the withdrawal of Ukrainian troops,” Ushakov was quoted as saying.

“If not by negotiation, then by military means, this territory will come under the full control of the Russian Federation,” he added. “Everything else will depend entirely on that.”

Russia currently controls all of the Luhansk region and approximately 80% of the Donetsk region. Ukrainian forces, however, continue to hold several major urban centers, including the heavily fortified cities of Sloviansk and Kramatorsk.

According to Kommersant, Ushakov said a proposed peace arrangement could involve the deployment of Russia’s National Guard, known as Rosgvardiya, to areas of the Donbas currently under Ukrainian control, rather than regular Russian army units.

“It’s entirely possible that there won’t be any troops there, either Russian or Ukrainian,” Ushakov said. “But there will be the Russian national guard, our police, everything necessary to maintain order and organize life.”

Rosgvardiya is a military-style internal security force with an estimated strength of about 400,000 personnel. Units from the National Guard were deployed in Ukraine from the earliest stages of the war in 2022, including contingents from Chechnya that have played prominent roles in combat and security operations.

In 2023, Russia enacted legislation expanding the National Guard’s capabilities, authorizing it to acquire and use heavy weapons such as tanks and artillery.

Ushakov’s comments underscore Moscow’s position that territorial control of the Donbas remains a prerequisite for any ceasefire, as fighting continues across eastern Ukraine with no comprehensive peace agreement in place.