NATO warns Russian forces could attack Donbas within weeks

Although the Kremlin promised to “drastically reduce” military operations in Ukraine following peace talks in Turkey last week, NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg warned on Tuesday that Russia is likely to launch a “very concentrated” offensive in Ukraine’s eastern Donbas region.

"We now see a significant movement of (Russian) troops away from Kyiv to regroup, re-arm and re-supply and shift their focus to the east," Stoltenberg told reporters.

Stoltenberg’s comments came just a day before NATO foreign ministers are to meet in Brussels to discuss increased support for Ukraine – including financial, military and humanitarian support, Reuters reported.

The NATO chief further warned that the Donbas region is now likely in the Kremlin’s crosshairs.

"In the coming weeks, we expect a further Russian push in eastern and southern Ukraine to try to take the entire Donbas and to create a land bridge to occupied Crimea," he added.

Although Russian President Vladimir Putin reportedly expected a lightning-fast victory after launching his “special military operation” on Feb. 24, heavy Ukrainian resistance has stalled most Russian advances and decimated supply lines, often forcing Russian troops to capitulate or retreat. In recent days, intelligence reports have even suggested that Ukrainians have begun to counterattack and reclaim lost territory.

The Kremlin, for its part, has claimed that it has achieved its military objectives and is now prepared to begin scaling back aggressions, instead focusing on “the complete liberation of the Donbas", an industrial region in eastern Ukraine which has been under partial control by Russian-backed separatists since 2014.

Stoltenberg said it would be a new, crucial phase of Putin’s invasion and warned that an attack was likely within a few weeks.

"Repositioning of the Russian troops will take some time, some weeks," he said, adding that, “In that window, it is extremely important that NATO allies provide support.”

Brig. Gen. Kyrylo Budanov, Ukraine’s Defense Intelligence Agency chief, also warned last week that Russia’s invasion had failed and it was now impossible for the Russian army to overthrow the Ukrainian government – meaning Putin would likely focus on operations in the country’s southern and eastern regions.

"There is reason to believe that he is considering a 'Korean' scenario for Ukraine," said Budanov. "That is, [Russian forces] will try to impose a dividing line between the unoccupied and occupied regions of our country. In fact, it is an attempt to create North and South Korea in Ukraine."