KYIV: President Volodymyr Zelenskiy has said Ukraine is ready to launch its long-awaited counteroffensive to recapture Russian-occupied territory.
He told Wall Street Journal in an interview published on Saturday that, “We strongly believe that we’ll succeed.” “I do not know how long it’ll take. Honestly, it can go a variety of ways, completely different. But we’re going to do it, and we’re ready.”
Kyiv hopes a counteroffensive to reclaim territory would change the dynamics of the war that has raged since Russia invaded its smaller neighbour 15 months ago.
Zelenskiy said Ukraine needed to wait for more Western armoured vehicles to arrive last month before launching the counter-offensive. He has been on a diplomatic push to maintain Western help, seeking more army aid and arms, which is crucial for Ukraine’s success in its plans.
Russia holds areas of Ukrainian territory in the east, south and southeast.
A long spell of dry weather in a few parts of Ukraine has driven anticipation that the counteroffensive might be imminent. Over the past many weeks, Ukraine has increased its strikes on Russian ammunition depots and logistical routes.
On Saturday, Ukraine’s army said in a daily report that Mariinka in the Donetsk region in the east was the focus of the fighting. The report said that Ukrainian armed forces repelled all 14 Russian armed troops’ attacks there.
