Russia is forced to lower its ambitions in the war against Ukraine – Budanov

Russian authorities are reshaping their own narratives about the war due to their inability to achieve the initially declared objectives on the battlefield. The Kremlin’s latest shift in strategy has been the launch of a propaganda narrative regarding “Ukraine’s non-aligned status and its non-nuclear status.” 

This was stated by the head of the Office of the President, Kirill Budanov, during a speech at the Kyiv Stratcom Forum 2026, according to Ukrinform. The official emphasized that, under the influence of an unpleasant reality, it is becoming increasingly difficult for the Russian leadership to come up with excuses for its domestic audience, which is why the bar for so-called victory is constantly being lowered.

The head of the office cited the example that the initial narrative about the alleged “capture of Kyiv in three days” eventually turned into the slogan “Donbas at any cost.” As time passes and there are no tangible results, a new thesis has recently emerged regarding Ukraine’s mandatory non-nuclear status and neutrality. According to the head of the Presidential Office, the Kremlin is well aware of the impossibility of explaining the failure of its initial plans to the public. Therefore, the Russian leadership is preparing society in advance for the idea that even the failure to achieve territorial goals in Donbas can be presented as a success if Ukraine officially remains outside of military alliances.

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