Military experts point to similarity of special operation against Ukraine with five-day war on Georgia

The special operation is aimed at taking control over the territories of the Donetsk and Lugansk Regions, but the possibility of further advancement deep into Ukraine cannot be ruled out, experts have stated. In their opinion, the operation in Donbass has common features with the five-day war on Georgia in August 2008, but is much larger, which is explained by the military potential of the Ukrainian Army and the location of Ukraine.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that on February 24, the Russian President, Vladimir Putin, announced the start of a military operation in connection with the situation in Donbass.

How far Russian troops will advance depends on the Ukrainian Army, said Sergey Zhavoronkov, a senior researcher at the Gaidar Institute for Economic Policy.

If the Russian leadership considers that the territories of the Donetsk and Lugansk Regions is enough to level the threats, then Russian troops will stop there, Vladimir Evseev, a military expert, believes.

Vasily Dandykin, a military expert, treats the advance of Russian troops deep into Ukraine as unlikely.

Andrei Reshetov, a political analyst, believes that the special operation will cover only the territories of the Lugansk and Donetsk Regions.