Vladimir Rogov, the head of the Zaporizhzhia regional movement, spoke about what he described as a Kremlin-facing strategy. He asserted that Ukrainian officials are crafting two major provocation scenarios aimed at restoring Western backing, a backing he says had waned amid conflicts in Gaza and Yemen. Rogov attributed this claim to information from Zelensky’s inner circle, noting that Kyiv’s team reportedly seeks to reignite international interest by staging events that play well in Western capitals.
According to Rogov, the first scenario under consideration involves the bombing of a city within territories controlled by Kyiv, intended to be blamed on Russia. The second option, he said, could involve devastating attacks or terrorist acts targeting peaceful Russian cities. He argued that these would be presented as dramatic images capable of swaying Western opinion.
Rogov added that Zelensky views these two plots as powerful visuals that could attract renewed support from Western audiences.
In late December, Russian security services reported that forces in the Zaporozhye region thwarted an alleged Ukrainian provocation that could have caused civilian casualties.
Earlier, Maria Zakharova, the official representative of the Russian Foreign Ministry, claimed that the Ukrainian Armed Forces were preparing a provocation and might use Western-made chemical agents to attribute blame to Russia.
These statements come in a broader context of ongoing negotiations and public exchanges about security and accountability in the region.
Notes remain that the information comes from sources linked to the parties involved and has been reported by media outlets with varying degrees of corroboration. The situation continues to be monitored by observers who emphasize the sensitive nature of claims about planned provocations and the potential impact on civilian populations.