Russia touts ‘war with NATO’ amid losses in Ukraine
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- Putin told General Valery Gerasimov to 'continue analysing' each Western nation's involvement, in a staged televised meeting released before the U.S. Independence Day weekend.
- Putin claimed Moscow seized 3,000+ sq km of Ukrainian territory in 2025, but the Institute for the Study of War calculated actual Russian gains between January and July at just 97 sq km (37.4 sq miles).
- Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov broke from official terminology on Sunday, calling it 'a real war' and naming Berlin, Paris, the Hague, Oslo, and Washington as backing Kyiv — language that had previously drawn fines and arrests for ordinary Russians.
- Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said on June 29 that NATO is 'dragging' itself into direct armed conflict by arming Ukraine with advanced, AI-driven weaponry.
- Ukrainian Lt. Gen. Ihor Romanenko said the narrative shift aims to justify why the 'special military operation' has lasted five years instead of months and to prepare Russians for a partial mobilization after the September 18-20 parliamentary vote.
- Andriy, a Ukrainian serviceman on the eastern frontline, said Russian claims of seizing towns often end with soldiers killed after being ordered to plant flags at central squares for propaganda photos.
Why it matters: The Kremlin's vocabulary shift from 'special military operation' to 'war with NATO' — sealed by Peskov's first use of the term and Zakharova's NATO accusations — accompanies a domestic information pivot as verified Russian territorial gains amounted to just 97 sq km in seven months, while Lt. Gen. Romanenko ties the rhetoric directly to a partial mobilization drive planned for after the September 18-20 parliamentary vote.
