Putin wants to create conditions for a protracted war in Ukraine

This is reported by analysts at the Institute for the Study of War (ISW).

At a recent meeting with the Council for the Development of Civil Society and Human Rights, Putin said that the so-called "special operation" in Ukraine could be a "lengthy process" and that the capture of new territories was an important outcome for Russia.

Putin is setting the Russian domestic audience up for a protracted, gruelling war in Ukraine aimed at conquering new Ukrainian territories.

At the same time, analysts argue that the Russian media space perceives Putin's imperialist statements positively.