Russia could freeze war at some stage rather than end it – Bellingcat reporter

Investigative journalist Christo Grozev of Bellingcat believes Russia will try to “freeze” the war at some point in the coming week, without actually announcing its end.

The journalist made a comment while speaking at the Batsman YouTube show.

"I'm afraid there will be a period when it won’t be clear whether the war has ended or not, but there’ll l be no more bloodshed. I think that we’re approaching this, this is a matter of a week, 10 days max. Russia's position is weakening, and they understand this. It will be more beneficial for them not to say the war is over, because they will have to admit that they’ve lost it, but keep it ‘frozen’ at some stage," Grozev said.

According to the journalist, Russia will end the war only in the event of a regime change, when a new political elite comes to power.

On February 24, on the instructions of President Vladimir Putin, Russia launched a war with Ukraine. For the sixth day in a row, Russian troops have been shelling and destroying key infrastructure, with their missiles aiming including at apartment blocks.

Martial law was imposed in Ukraine and a general mobilization was announced.

Ukraine filed a lawsuit against the Russian Federation with the International Criminal Court in The Hague.