Muzhenko highlighted that Ukrainian forces managed to “push back the Russians” despite unfavorable geographical conditions, absence of firepower advantage, and lack of air superiority, all while dealing with deeply layered minefields and fortifications.
“What the Armed Forces of Ukraine have accomplished, perhaps no army in the world could have done,” he said.
Muzhenko pointed out that some expectations formed by media and official narratives did not materialize, leading to disappointment and, for some, pessimism after what they consider “insignificant gains.”
He also stressed that preliminary assessments did not indicate significant progress in the actions of the Defense Forces during the initial conception of the counteroffensive operation.
Moreover, there was a lack of apparent strategic intent in the advance, according to Muzhenko, with only individual operations in specific directions visible. This raises the question of how connected these operations were to an overarching plan, not just for the planning of actions by units but also for the necessary resource provision.
Muzhenko also mentioned that Ukraine lacked the necessary concentration of forces and numerical superiority to achieve a breakthrough in the 2023 campaign.