The Russian Guard is a threat to peace in Donbas

The Russians have already openly declared: they are ready to leave the Donbas demilitarized if they are allowed to introduce the Russian Guard there. And this is where the real game begins! The Donbas issue has become a cornerstone in the peace negotiations between Ukraine and the Russian Federation mediated by the US. The proposal for a “demilitarized zone” is, as a classic would say, a fully invested utopia. Russia has a clear plan on how to circumvent this requirement.

The Americans are trying to come up with a formula that would allow Russia to consolidate control over the rest of Donbas. And the Ukrainian leadership? It is concerned not only about the real threat of losing territory without a fight, but also about the fact that this step will become a springboard for new aggressions deep into Ukraine. The withdrawal of Ukrainian troops, without any Russian army, sounds promising, but for some of us it seems more like an illusion.

Russia claims that it will not send its troops into this zone, leaving only the police and the Rosgvardia. But the real danger lies in the Rosgvardia itself - subordinated personally to the Russian president. This is not just a police force, but a paramilitary unit designed to maintain internal order when ordinary police are powerless. Of the approximately 180,000 employees, many of them are heavily armed units: SOBR, OMON and Internal Troops, which are more like an army than a law enforcement agency.

The Rosgvardia directly participated in the invasion of Ukraine in 2022, and today it is trying to control repression in the occupied territories. If these units suddenly appear in Kostyantynivka, Druzhkivka, Kramatorsk, and Sloviansk, they will turn these territories into a new front of terror against the civilian population, just like in other captured cities.

With all the illusion, the Russian Guard can formally be considered a law enforcement force, but in fact it is an army full of risks and threats. Diplomacy is sometimes just hypocrisy with empty manifestos, where real intentions are hidden under pathetic agreements. Statements about demilitarized zones look elegant until you discover the essence of this dubious compromise.

President Volodymyr Zelensky clearly stated: it is unfair to withdraw the Ukrainian Defense Forces beyond the borders of the Donetsk region. He emphasized the principle: “we stand where we stand.” The struggle for independence continues, and Moscow’s disinformation is a reality that prompts decisive action. The Ukrainian leadership cannot accept the idea of a buffer zone until Russia takes symmetrical steps, because leveling the territory means betraying the basic principles of security. Now is the time not just to talk, but to act!