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Ukraine is now ready to launch a long-awaited counter-offensive to retake territories occupied by Russia, according to President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in an interview with the Wall Street Journal. “We firmly believe that we can achieve this,” said Mr. Zelenskyy.
“I don’t know how long it will take. Frankly, it could go in different ways, completely different. But we are going to do this, and we are ready,” the President of Ukraine added.
The counter-offensive and retaking of territories would shift the dynamics of the war, which has been ongoing since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine 15 months ago.
According to Volodymyr Zelenskyy, the Ukrainian army has not received all the weapons it had hoped for, but waiting is no longer an option. It likely refers to fighter jets, as Zelensky acknowledged that Russia still has air superiority.
“We would like to have certain things, but we can’t wait for months,” he said.
Zelenskyy pointed out that Ukraine’s land forces are “stronger and more motivated” than the occupying Russian forces, who are attempting to hold roughly 20% of Ukraine’s territory in the east and south of the country.
Previously, Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated that Ukraine needed to await the arrival of a larger quantity of Western armoured vehicles before launching a counter-offensive.
Since the start of the year, Ukrainian political and military leadership has repeatedly announced that the Defence Forces are preparing for a counter-offensive to liberate territories from Russian occupiers.
The Ministry of Defence of Ukraine highlighted that the supply of equipment and training of soldiers is a crucial part of preparing for the counter-offensive.
The media have repeatedly reported that the counter-offensive could begin in the spring. However, Ukrainian authorities have suggested that active combat could start in the summer. No additional details regarding the timeline or location have been reported.
Meanwhile, the United States believes that it has adequately equipped Ukraine with military aid for the counter-offensive, along with its allies.
According to the Coordinator of Strategic Communications for the National Security Council at the White House, John Kirby, the West has now met Ukraine’s needs for conducting its counter-offensive.
“We are very pleased with the outcome. When they start, it depends on them, but we are confident that we have done everything possible, and when I say “we”, I mean not only the US but also our allies and partners,” Kirby said.
The Biden administration has allocated over $37 billion in security assistance to Ukraine since the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion and has promised further military support. European allies have also backed the US and provided aid to Ukraine.
As a reminder, the Swiss defence conglomerate Ruag promised yesterday to sell Ukraine 96 Leopard 1 tanks. Earlier, the US announced it would provide Ukraine with F-16 fighter jets as part of the “Fighter Coalition”.
