May 11, 2022 3:08pm EDT
Russia has signaled intent to end 'current phase' of invasion, cut losses with Kherson referendum: expert
Russia appears to desire control of the Dnieper River, which bisects Ukraine
By Peter Aitken | Fox News
Russia has potentially signaled intent to end the invasion of Ukraine and integrate the Kherson region, an intelligence expert told Fox News Digital.
Putin’s press secretary Dmitry Peskov told journalists that "residents of Kherson must decide for themselves" whether they will "appeal" for "integration of the region into the Russian territory," according to TASS.
Peskov refused to be drawn on the possibility of a referendum, saying he "stated what I wanted to state," but former DIA officer Rebekah Koffler argued that Moscow will proceed with a referendum to provide "legal justification" for Russia to integrate Kherson.
"This is standard Russian statecraft," Koffler explained. "In 2014, 95.5% of Crimean residents voted for joining Russia."
But Koffler, author of "Putin’s Playbook: Russia’s Secret Plan to Defeat America," further believes that integrating Kherson would be enough for Putin to say he achieved his goal for the current phase of the invasion, which Moscow has continued to call a "special operation" in Ukraine.
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https://www.foxnews.com/world/russia-current-phase-invasion-cut-losses-kherson-referendum