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