Ukraine refuses to shift to defensive position, knowing it often leads to frozen war – head of the president's office
The Russian Msta-S self-propelled artillery installation (SAU) is one of the main means of artillery in the forces of the invasion of Ukraine
Ukraine will never agree to a frozen conflict with the Russian Federation since the transition to a defensive position often leads to a frozen war.
In an interview with the French newspaper Le Figaro, the head of the President's Office, Andriy Yermak, stated this.
"It is impossible to wage a defensive war. Moving to a defensive position often leads to a frozen conflict. We have seen this since 2014. We will never agree to a frozen conflict with Putin.
The solution is not to stop, but to be realistic, strong, together with our partners, and not to stop," Yermak emphasized.
The official noted that the situation at the front is "certainly difficult, but the motivation of our people and our soldiers is very high."
"At the front, the troops complain about the lack of people and resources and say that they can no longer advance.
This is definitely a problem, and there is no point in hiding it. Some soldiers need rest. Many of them have been on the front line for two years.
The government and the General Staff are working on a new law on mobilization, which will soon be submitted to the parliament. And on a realistic military strategy. The transitional period is still ongoing," said the head of the Office of the President.
Yermak also appealed to Ukraine's partners to "Give us weapons, and we will do the job."
"We count on our partners and are also working on developing our military-industrial complex. The Russians still hope to have an advantage over us regarding resources.
We have to rely on technological advantages. The front line stretches for more than 2,000 kilometers, most of which is the scene of fierce fighting. We must be realistic," Yermak said.
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It is worth noting that as of January 12, the number of Russian troops on the territory of Ukraine is 462,000. 35,000 servicemen of the Russian Guard in Ukraine ensure the work of the occupation regime.
Also, in 2024, Russia plans to increase the production of ammunition. However, it has several problems related to the lack of components, qualified personnel, and production facilities. According to Ukrainian intelligence estimates, the Russian Federation will have a shortage of 500,000 ammunition, as last year.
In February 2022, when Russia began its invasion of Ukraine, there were about 190 thousand military personnel on the Ukrainian border. And already in December 2023, according to the estimates of the State Government, there were 443,000 occupiers in Ukraine.
As Rubryka wrote, to create a "buffer zone" with the Belgorod region in the Russian Federation, they began calling again for a large-scale offensive operation in the Kharkiv region.
In addition, ISW believes that the Russian army plans to advance on Kupiansk in the coming weeks. The Russian occupying forces are not ready for large-scale offensive operations in the Kharkiv region. However, they can intensify efforts to capture the city.
The commander of the Ground Forces of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, Colonel-General Oleksandr Syrskyi, said that the command of the Russian army did not achieve the goals it had set for itself in Ukraine in recent months.
