By Oyintari Ben
According to President Volodymyr Zelensky, Ukraine’s counteroffensive against Russia cannot begin until partners in the West give greater military assistance.
He informed a Japanese newspaper that he would not commit his soldiers to the front lines without more tanks, artillery, and Himars rocket launchers.
During an interview with Yomiuri Shimbun, he described the situation in eastern Ukraine as “not good.”
He remarked, “We are awaiting the arrival of ammunition from our allies.
In response to a question regarding the anticipated counteroffensive, he said: “We can’t start yet; we can’t send our brave soldiers to the front line without tanks, artillery, and long-range rockets.”
He added that if you have the political will, you can find a way to assist us. We must hurry because we are at war.
For a few weeks now, there has been a discussion of Ukraine conducting a spring attack against Russian forces. Commanders in Ukraine have made hints that it might happen soon. Ukraine’s ground forces commander, Oleksandr Syrskyi, suggested last week that it would happen “very soon.”
Zelensky, though, is more pessimistic. He has frequently cautioned that the conflict could last for years if Western allies don’t speed up weapons delivery. But this is the first time he has publicly stated that the absence of Western equipment might cause the counteroffensive to be delayed.
His comments reveal his desire to promote more speed and his annoyance at what he perceives as lacking urgency.
The allies of Ukraine have committed to providing more tanks, artillery, and long-range missile weapons. However, some nations have difficulty fulfilling their commitments, while others take longer than anticipated to ship the necessary equipment to Ukraine.
Despite acknowledging that training and preparation take time, Western authorities claim that military backup is on the way. They also mention additional issues, such as the muddy terrain, making it difficult for any army to move quickly and break through the frontlines.
Hanna Malyar, the deputy minister of defence for Ukraine, asserted on social media that only the president, the minister of defence, and the commander-in-chief had the authority to make public military preparations.
All others may only quote them, she wrote. “Please don’t ask experts on the radio questions about a counteroffensive, please don’t write blogs and posts on this subject, and please don’t publicly discuss the military strategies of our army.”
