In an interview with the BBC, the Ukrainian president admitted that the results of the offensive launched this month “have been slower than desired”, but he stressed the importance of the life of the army, recalling that the occupied territory is mines . Volodymyr Zelensky spoke to British public broadcaster about the donor conference that started yesterday in London, in which the Allies defended that Russia should pay for the reconstruction of the country.
“Some people believe this is a Hollywood movie and expect immediate results. It’s not. It’s about human lives,” the Ukrainian leader said, after explaining that the occupied territory is being mined by Russian troops. “Whatever some may want, including attempts to pressure us, with all due respect, we will advance the battlefield in any way we see fit,” he told the BBC.
Presidential predecessor Petro Poroshenko agreed with Zelensky when he told Sky News not to ask the Ukrainian armed forces for a timetable for the offensive. According to the oligarch, the lack of air dominance and the superiority of electronic warfare systems, fighter jets and Russian air defenses in his country are cause for concern. However, he is optimistic about the outcome of the conflict, saying that “only 30% of brigades” earmarked for offensive operations are active.
The deputy defense minister also acknowledged that it was “difficult” to advance against Russian defenses, but that the “biggest clash” of the Ukrainian counter-offensive has yet to take place. On the other hand, Hanna Maliar tried to downplay the issue of territorial advancement by arguing that the success of operations is not measured solely by the number of inhabitants and miles traveled, because there are many more criteria for the effectiveness of military operations.
The deputy minister also said that Ukrainian forces are “advancing in different directions from the south”, particularly Melitopol and Berdyansk, while Russia “continues to push into the east” to reinforce positions in Donetsk and Lugansk. “So now it’s lit up in the east as well as in the south,” he concluded.
British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has announced a pledge of $3 billion in loan guarantees.
At the international conference that ends this Thursday in London with representatives from 60 countries, leaders of the US and several European countries defended that Russia should pay for the reconstruction of Ukraine. “It is clear that Russia must pay for the destruction it has caused, which is why we are working with allies to explore legal ways to use frozen Russian assets,” said British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak. In this regard, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen promised to present a proposal on what to do with frozen financial assets.
“Let’s be clear: Russia is causing the destruction of Ukraine. And Russia will ultimately shoulder the cost of reconstruction,” said US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, announcing aid of $1.3 billion.
Source: DN
