Zelensky: Putin again promises to seize Donetsk region and target Odesa, Kharkiv, Dnipro

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky stated at the 81st UN General Assembly in New York that Kremlin leader Vladimir Putin has again promised US President Donald Trump's representatives he will capture the Donetsk region, marking what Zelensky said is the 17th or 18th such promise in five years. Zelensky said Putin claimed he needs only a few more months, repeatedly postponing the deadline, and predicted Putin will fail again. He added that Putin intends to continue beyond Donbas, targeting Ukrainian cities including Odesa, Kharkiv, and Dnipro, noting some in the Kremlin have displayed images reading "On to Kyiv." Earlier, Deputy Head of the Presidential Office Pavlo Palisa reported Moscow set its troops a new deadline to capture Donbas by the end of 2027, with Russian forces requesting an extension to March 31, 2027. Former UK intelligence officer Philip Ingram noted Ukrainian forces have disrupted Russian logistics in the region, thwarting Moscow's plans.