Potential Russian plans for full-scale invasion of Ukraine

1. Southern Ukraine

Russian forces attack from Crimea and Donbas ‘with the intention of drawing Ukrainian forces there’

 

2. Eastern Ukraine

Russian mechanised forces encircle and cut off major cities such as Kharkiv, Dnipro and Kyiv

 

3. Dnieper River

Most Russian forces expected to stop their advance at the river, with the exceptions of those heading for Kyiv

Baranovichi

Belarus

Russia

Chernobyl

Kyiv

Kharkiv

Ukraine

Dnipro

Donbas

Dnieper

River

Transnistria

Rostov

Moldova

Mariupol

Odessa

Romania

Crimea

200km

200 miles

Black Sea

4. Black Sea coast

Seizing Odessa via Transnistria, Crimea and/or the sea would help Russia gain effective control of Ukraine’s coastline

 

5. Kyiv

Russian forces could avoid having to cross the Dnieper inside Ukraine by advancing on Kyiv from south-east Belarus

 

6. South-west Belarus

Advancing on Kyiv from farther west would mean Russian forces could bypass the Pripet marshes and Chernobyl area

Potential Russian plans for full-scale invasion of Ukraine

1. Southern Ukraine

Russian forces attack from Crimea and Donbas ‘with the intention of drawing Ukrainian forces there’

2. Eastern Ukraine

Russian mechanised forces encircle and cut off major cities such as Kharkiv, Dnipro and Kyiv

3. Dnieper River

Most Russian forces expected to stop their advance at the river, with the exceptions of those heading for Kyiv

Baranovichi

Belarus

Russia

Chernobyl

Kyiv

Dnieper

River

Kharkiv

Ukraine

Dnipro

Donbas

Moldova

Rostov

Mariupol

Transnistria

Odessa

Sea of Azov

Romania

Crimea

150 km

Black Sea

150 miles

4. Black Sea coast

Seizing Odessa via Transnistria, Crimea and/or the sea would help Russia gain effective control of Ukraine’s coastline

5. Kyiv

Russian forces could avoid having to cross the Dnieper inside Ukraine by advancing on Kyiv from south-east Belarus

6. South-west Belarus

Advancing on Kyiv from farther west would mean Russian forces could bypass the Pripet marshes and Chernobyl area