Ukraine needs heavy equipment and military training for effective counteroffensive – defense minister

Ukraine's Defense Minister Oleksii Reznikov said the state needs heavy equipment and training for reserves for its counteroffensive against russia.

The minister says it during a meeting with a delegation from the EU Political and Security Committee, Ukraine's Defense Ministry reports.

Oleksii Reznikov met with a delegation from the European Union's Political and Security Committee headed by its chair, Delphine Pronk, on March 30.

He informed Ukraine's European partners about the current state of affairs on the front line, in particular in the northern, eastern, and southern areas.

There was a particular focus on the EU's assistance to Ukraine's forces and professional training for the servicemen abroad.

"I am sincerely grateful to your countries for their systematic support and the work done. Thanks to the supply of Western weapons, the Armed Forces of Ukraine are making progress on the battlefield. We are preparing for a counteroffensive operation, so Ukraine needs, first of all, heavy equipment and prepared reserves. 

The minister says Ukrainian defenders have high morale and are ready to keep on fighting for Ukraine.

Reznikov also noted that the Ministry and the Armed Forces are paying close attention to the issue of the supply of weapons and their accounting.

He briefed the foreign guests on the LOGFAS logistics program that has been introduced in the Ministry and is used by all NATO members. It enables monitoring of the supply of weapons to Ukraine from its partner countries and the movement of material and technical assistance.

The defense minister also said he hoped NATO's Vilnius summit would show that Ukraine is not only a reliable partner of the alliance but also a country that has studied the russian aggressor thoroughly and knows how to fight against it.

The ambassadors of all 27 EU member states were visiting Ukraine for the first time in 400 days of full-scale war.