As Russian President Vladimir Putin’s ‘special military operation’ I Ukraine drags out, there are fears in the West Moscow could formally declare war on Ukraine as soon as May 9.
The declaration would enable the full mobilization of Russia’s reserve forces as invasion efforts continue to falter, US and Western officials believe.
May 9, known as “Victory Day” inside of Russia, commemorates the country’s defeat of the Nazis in 1945.
Western officials have long believed that Putin would leverage the symbolic significance and propaganda value of that day to announce either a military achievement in Ukraine, a major escalation of hostilities – or both.
Putin has insisted on referring to the brutal monthslong conflict as a “special military operation,” banning words such as invasion and war.
A formal declaration of war could potentially bolster public support for the invasion. Putin will also mobilize reserve forces and draft conscripts for the war.
Ukrainian officials have estimated that over 20,000 Russian soldiers have been killed in the war while UK intelligence stated about 10,000.