Ukrainian military makes headway through two of three Russian defense lines
Ukraine’s Armed Forces have broken through two of the three Russian defense lines, Defense Minister Rustem Umerov stated in an interview U.S. entertainment channel Fox News on Dec. 5.
He also added that Ukraine has a comprehensive plan for 2024.
"We've successfully breached the initial two defense lines and currently find ourselves positioned between the second and third lines," he said.
Umerov noted that Ukraine has already recaptured 50% of the territories occupied by Russia since the start of the full-scale invasion. In response to questions regarding perceived slow progress in the counteroffensive since June, Umerov invited critics to visit the combat zone and decide for themselves.
He stressed that Ukraine's primary goal is the restoration of Ukraine’s borders to their 1991 configuration and outlined Ukraine’s military objectives for 2024.
"We are well-prepared," Umerov stated.
Underlining that a victory for Ukraine entails the return of all internationally recognized territories, including the Crimean Peninsula, and Donetsk and Luhansk oblasts, Umerov dismissed the possibility of a negotiated resolution. He argued that such an outcome would be a "shame for the civilized world," allowing authoritarian regimes to regard democratic countries as incapable of self-defense.
"Their goal is to cease the existence of Ukraine and the Ukrainian people, and we are defending against that," Umerov said.
He added that combating authoritarian regimes aligns with the national interest of the United States.
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