Ukraine is de facto member of NATO – UA defense minister

Ukraine has become a de facto member of the Nato alliance, although it has not de jure become a member.

The Minister of Defense of Ukraine, Oleksii Reznikov, stated this in an interview with BВС.

"Ukraine as a country, and the armed forces of Ukraine, became [a] member of NATO. De facto, not de jure (by law). Because we have weaponry and the understanding of how to use it. I'm sure that in the near future, we'll become member of NATO, de jure," said Reznikov.

The minister denied that his comments would be seen as controversial, not only by russia but perhaps, by NATO itself, as the alliance has taken steps not to be seen as a party to the conflict.  

Reznikov also expressed confidence that Ukraine would receive long-awaited weapons from the West, including tanks and fighter jets, as both Ukraine and russia appear to be preparing for new offensives in the spring.

According to him, russia is losing about 500-600 of its soldiers every day in all directions on the front. He believes that russia may be trying to gather "forces, ammunition, and weapons" for an offensive from areas it has already occupied in the south and east.

"Spring is the best period to refresh the movement for all sides. We understand they'll be ready to start [the offensive] and, surely, we have to be ready to start," said the Minister of Defense.

Regarding the change in the supreme command of the russian federation forces, Reznikov stated that this happened as a result of "conflict between mr. prigozhin and the armed forces of the russian federation."

General surovikin led the recent brutal attacks on Ukraine's energy infrastructure, which, according to a Ukrainian minister, "reduced the [russian missile] stocks without any results."

As reported, russia's ministry of defense announced on Wednesday that the russian leadership appointed Chief of the General Staff valery gerasimov as the new commander of the combined forces of the russian federation in Ukraine.