Skibitskyi: Russia plans to launch plan to destabilize Ukraine in May

According to Ukrinform, this was stated in an interview with The Economist by Deputy Chief of the Defence Intelligence of Ukraine, Major General Vadym Skibitskyi.

According to him, May will be a key month when Russia uses a three-factor plan to destabilize Ukraine.

Skibitskyi emphasized that the main factor of this plan is the military direction.

Despite the fact that the US Congress belatedly "gave the go-ahead" to increase military aid to Ukraine, it will take several more weeks before it reaches the front lines, he said.

The second factor is Russia's disinformation campaign in Ukraine, which is aimed at undermining Ukrainian mobilization and the political legitimacy of President Volodymyr Zelensky, whose presidential term is set to expire on May 20. At the same time, the Constitution of Ukraine clearly prohibits holding presidential elections in wartime.

Skibitskyi added that the third factor is Russia's relentless campaign to isolate Ukraine internationally. "They will shake the situation as much as they can," he said.

As reported, the head of the Defense Ministry's Main Intelligence Directorate, Kyrylo Budanov, said that Russia was conducting a special operation called "Maidan-3" to create a situation to "question the legitimacy of not only the President, but decision-making in general in Ukraine after May 31 and 20."

Volodymyr Zelensky was sworn in as President of Ukraine on May 20, 2019.

According to the law, presidential elections are to be held on the last Sunday of March in the fifth year of the current president's term.

According to the martial law regime introduced by the Verkhovna Rada on February 24, 2022, elections are prohibited in Ukraine.