Vladimir Putin reportedly wants ‘Korean scenario’ in Ukraine, splitting nation in two

Having failed in his initial goal to conquer Kyiv, Vladimir Putin has reportedly set a new target for his forces in Ukraine.

Russia wants to split Ukraine in half like North and South Korea, the country’s military intelligence chief has warned, as a frustrated Vladimir Putin launches a deadly new pincer move.

General Kyrylo Budanov, head of Ukraine’s Defence Intelligence, today accused Russian troops of attempting to apply the “Korean scenario” after failing to capture Kyiv, as the invasion continues to stall.

In a statement released by the Defence Ministry, Gen Budanov said Putin has realised “he can’t swallow the entire country”.

“The occupiers will try to pull the occupied territories into a single quasi-state structure and pit it against independent Ukraine,” he said.

Gen Budanov pointed to Russian attempts to set up parallel governments in occupied cities, and to stop locals from using the Ukrainian currency.

He said Ukraine believed Putin’s priorities were now in the east and south of the country.

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Vladimir Putin. Picture: Sergei Karpukhin/AFP

The new assessment came as the leader of one separatist-controlled area of Donbas said he wanted to hold a vote on joining Russia, which could be a precursor to the formal annexation of more Ukrainian territory by Moscow.

Leonid Pasechnik, head of the self-proclaimed Luhansk People’s Republic, said a referendum could be held in the near future. A similar vote was held in Crimea while it was first under Russian control in 2014.

Russia has supported the separatist rebels in Luhansk and neighbouring Donetsk since an insurgency started there following the Crimean annexation.

In talks with Ukraine, Moscow has demanded Kyiv acknowledge the independence of Donetsk and Luhansk, essentially ceding its own sovereign territory. In the days before his invasion, Putin formally recognised the rebel regions as independent states.

The rest of the world still considers them to be part of Ukraine.

Volodymyr Zelensky has asked for more help from the West. Picture: Ukraine Presidential Press Service via AFP

Meanwhile, Volodymyr Zelensky has accused the West of cowardice as his forces stave off the Russian invaders.

The Ukrainian President has pleaded for more fighter jets and tanks to be sent to help his nation’s defence. He urged Western leaders to hand over supplies that are “gathering dust” in stockpiles.

“I’ve talked to the defenders of Mariupol today. I’m in constant contact with them. Their determination, heroism and firmness are astonishing,” he said in a video address.

Referring to NATO, he added: “If only those who have been thinking for 31 days on whether to hand over dozens of jets and tanks had one per cent of their courage.”

That remark came in the wake of an unscripted gaffe by US President Joe Biden, who ended a speech in Poland by declaring Putin “cannot remain in power”.

The White House and State Department have scrambled to backtrack from those words, denying the US has changed to a policy of regime change towards Russia.

Experts said the gaffe would be used in Russia as confirmation the US is bent on overthrowing Putin.

Richard Haass, President of the Council on Foreign Relations, called it a bad lapse in discipline which risked extending the scope and duration of the war.

A Ukrainian serviceman walks through rubble in Kharkiv. Picture: Aris Messinis/AFP

Meanwhile, Ukrainian negotiator David Arakhamia today revealed the next round of face-to-face peace talks between Ukraine and Russia would be held in Turkey.

It’s understood the two sides will meet between March 28 and 30.

Ukraine described previous talks with Putin’s regime as “very difficult”.

This story first appeared on The Sun and has been republished with permission.