The Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, General Valerii Zaluzhnyi, has said opinions expressed in the West that Ukraine’s counter-offensive is going slower than expected “anger” him.
Speaking in an interview with U.S. newspaper The Washington Post on June 28, Zaluzhnyi noted that his troops have gained some ground – even if it’s just 500 meters – every day of the Ukrainian counter-offensive.
“This is not a show,” Zaluzhnyi said in his office at Ukraine’s General Staff headquarters.
“It’s not a show that the whole world is watching and betting on or anything. Every day, every meter, is paid for with blood.”
“Without (Ukraine) being fully supplied (with military equipment from the West), these plans are not feasible at all.”
“But they are being carried out. Yes, maybe not as fast as the people at the show, the audience, would like – but that’s their problem.”
For Ukraine’s counter-offensive to progress faster, Zaluzhnyi says he needs more – of every type of weapon.
He expressed frustration that while his biggest Western backers would never launch an offensive without air superiority, Ukraine still has not received modern fighter jets, but is expected to rapidly take back territory from the occupying Russians all the same.
His troops also should be firing at least as many artillery shells as their enemy, Zaluzhnyi said, but have been outshot tenfold at times because of limited resources.
U.S. newspaper the New York Times earlier reported that the administration of U.S. President Joe Biden is worried that the progress of the Ukrainian counter-offensive at the initial stage is “behind schedule.”
In addition, two Western officials and a senior U.S. military official told CNN that in its early phases, Ukraine’s counter-offensive is experiencing less success and Russian forces are showing more competence than Western assessments expected.
Ukraine’s counter-offensive: Latest
Deputy Defense Minister Hanna Malyar reported that the Ukrainian Defense Forces are continuing their offensive on the Bakhmut, Melitopol, and Berdyansk sections of the front, and are making progress. Ukrainian forces have advanced 1.3 kilometers toward Berdyansk she said.
Over the past week, as part of the Ukrainian military’s counteroffensive, the Russian invasion army’s losses exceeded Ukrainian losses by eight times, Malyar added.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that progress since the start of the Ukrainian counteroffensive campaign is “slower than we would like,” but that Ukraine will move forward “as it sees fit.”
Malyar reported on June 15 that the offensive was continuing on several fronts. The Ukrainian army was slowly but surely advancing and inflicting significant losses on the invaders, she said.
Earlier, the head of the U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff, General Mark Milley, predicted that the Ukrainian counter-offensive would see difficult and fierce battles.
Commenting on the pace of Ukraine’s counter-offensive, White House National Security spokesman John Kirby said that the Russian invasion forces in Ukraine had “invested a lot in defense structures.”
These countries complaining about the slow progress, replace Ukrainian troops with their own, and fight russians with what Ukraine have available.
No Nato country would ever fight such a war. And that is the idea behind the half-assed arms-supplies, to force Ukraine to the negotiation table so Putin can save face.
“His troops also should be firing at least as many artillery shells as their enemy, Zaluzhnyi said, but have been outshot tenfold at times because of limited resources.”
I can hardly believe what I am reading. We were told last year that the defenders were lobbing back only 25% of what what orcs chuck at them, which was itself outrageous. Now it has got even worse.
Was it Blinken who said : “Ukraine have all they need for the counteroffensive.”
That is of course : Except for four times the amount of modern artillery, ammo, MBT’s and long range fires.
Not forgetting five squadrons of F16’s and maintenance support.
“Ukraine have all they need for the counteroffensive.”
I knew from the get go that this was a blatant lie. This is the same administration that said Ukraine doesn’t need F-16s. Anyone with even half military sense knew that Ukraine was still in need of essential arms and ammo before the offensive started.
You must have a strong sense of diplomacy not to get very loud with the collective assholes in the West who can’t comprehend what Ukraine is facing and are saying such bullshit. Instead of stepping up aid, finally giving Ukraine what it needs, they complain like children.