Ukraine conducts deep strikes campaign in counteroffensive preparation

“Some of those deep strikes against Russian (positions in southern Ukraine) are a preparation for any kind of future offensive,” the officials said.

The sources added that throughout the war, Western countries observed the Ukrainians were "very adept" at using HIMARS Multiple Launch Rocket Systems against vulnerable Russian targets, such as ammo depots and command centers.

The officials also claim that Ukraine will be stockpiling ammunition before a counter-offensive, ensuring its troops will be able to overwhelm defending Russian forces with artillery firepower.

“We're not seeing them in a position where they (Ukrainian troops) are having to constrain their operations, through shortages of munitions,” CNN quotes one of its sources.

“They obviously want to stockpile at the moment because they’re preparing for an offensive, so they need to have those assurances of supply in order be able to sustain the offense.”

They added that the Armed Forces of Ukraine are receiving the necessary supplies from Kyiv’s international partners.

On Feb. 28, Ukrainian Military Intelligence chief Kyrylo Budanov said the next three months in Russia’s full-scale war against Ukraine would be “very active” and will determine the course of events in the war.

Defense Minister Oleksiy Reznikov said on March 29 that Ukraine's counter-offensive should begin in April or May, possible along several directions simultaneously.