Ukraine’s army commander warns about new Russian offensive in February
Valery Zaluzhnyi (Photo:5 канал)
Russia may go on a new “major offensive” in February, Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Valerii Zaluzhnyi said in an interview with the UK weekly newspaper The Economist on Dec. 15.
“A very important strategic task for us is to create reserves and prepare for the war, which may take place in February, at best in March, and at worst at the end of January,” he said.
“It may start not in Donbas, but in the direction of Kyiv, in the direction of Belarus, I do not rule out the southern direction as well.”
According to Zaluzhnyi, it is important for Ukraine to hold the line and not lose any more ground, because it is 10 to 15 times harder to liberate it than not to surrender it.
“Our troops are all tied up in battles now, they are bleeding,” he said.
“They are bleeding and are being held together solely by courage, heroism and the ability of their commanders to keep the situation under control.”
Zaluzhnyi noted the Ukrainian side had made all the calculations – how many tanks and artillery Ukrainian troops need.
“This is what everyone needs to concentrate on right now,” the commander said.
“May the soldiers in the trenches forgive me, it’s more important to focus on the accumulation of resources right now for the more protracted and heavier battles that may begin next year.”
Earlier Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said Russia might launch a new “major offensive” in January or February next year.
According to the U.S.-based Institute for the Study of War, Russian forces could most readily relaunch offensive operations along two main axes of advance in the coming months – along the Kharkiv-Luhansk border in north-eastern Ukraine, or in Donetsk Oblast.
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