Ukrainian intelligence services revealed on Monday that Russian President Vladimir Putin had postponed his order to invade Ukraine on at least three occasions, most recently in mid-February.
Putin has repeatedly consulted with Russian Chief of Staff Valeri Gerasimov and Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu about the invasion, Ukraine’s top intelligence director Vadim Skibitskyi was quoted as saying by Europa Press.
According to Skibitskyi, it would have been the authorities of the Russian Federal Security Service (FSB), in charge of counterintelligence and espionage work, among others, who pressured Gerasimov and the other military authorities to give the go-ahead for the start of the offensive. .
Always according to the Ukrainian secret services, the FSB considered that by the end of February sufficient preparation had already been carried out to guarantee the success of the Russian Armed Forces in the lightning invasion.
However, according to kyiv, the Russian General Staff provided the Russian troops with supplies and ammunition for only three days, with the prospect that the offensive would be swift and immediately successful.
The Ukrainian intelligence chief also highlighted the collaboration of local residents, who have always provided the Ukrainian authorities with relevant information about the Russian army, such as the number of soldiers or the exact location of the troops.
The military offensive launched on February 24 by Russia in Ukraine caused at least 6.5 million internally displaced persons and more than 7.8 million refugees to European countries, for which the United Nations classifies this refugee crisis as the worst in Europe. since World War II (1939-1945). ).
Right now, 17.7 million Ukrainians need humanitarian aid and 9.3 million need food aid and shelter.
The UN presented as confirmed since the beginning of the war 6,755 dead civilians and 10,607 wounded, stressing that these figures are far below the real ones.
Source: TSF
