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Evening Standard
Evening Standard
World
Nicholas Cecil

Putin may rush Donbas campaign to claim victory by key May 9 defeat of the Nazis date, say western officials

Vladimir Putin

(Picture: AP)

Vladimir Putin may be re-deploying Russian troops “piecemeal” into eastern Ukraine as he scrambles for a victory by May 9 to coincide with the Red Square parade held to mark the Nazis’ surrender in the Second World War, western officials said on Friday.

The Russian president may also be trying to put more forces into the Donbas region quickly before Ukrainian troops, no longer pinned down having to defend Kyiv and Chernihiv in the north of the country, are able to be sent towards the eastern battles.

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