A cache of leaked Russian government and military documents, first published by European investigative outlets on January 18, 2026, outlines what appears to be a long-term Kremlin strategy to systematically dismantle Ukrainian statehood, national identity, and cultural existence. The files believed to date from mid-2022 through late 2025—detail a multi-phase plan that combines military occupation, forced Russification, demographic engineering, and legal erasure of Ukrainian institutions.
Complete administrative integration of occupied territories into the Russian Federation by 2030, with phased abolition of Ukrainian passports, currency, language laws, and education curricula.
The documents also reference internal assessments acknowledging high civilian casualties as “acceptable collateral” for achieving strategic goals, and contingency plans for renewed large-scale offensives if Western support weakens.
The Kremlin immediately dismissed the leaks as “fabricated Western propaganda” aimed at undermining peace talks. Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova accused the documents of being “another round of fakes produced by British intelligence and Ukrainian special services.” However, several independent outlets—including Der Spiegel, The Guardian, and Ukrainska Pravda—verified metadata, formatting, and internal references consistent with authentic Russian bureaucratic and military documents.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy called the revelations “a roadmap for genocide” and urged the International Criminal Court and UN Security Council to act immediately. Western leaders expressed alarm but stopped short of confirming the documents’ authenticity pending further verification.
The leak has intensified calls in NATO capitals for increased military aid to Ukraine and tougher sanctions on Russia, while also fueling debate over the feasibility and morality of any negotiated settlement that would leave parts of Ukraine under Russian control.
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