“Not everything is perfect, but not a disaster either”: Ukrainian intelligence chief comments on Ukraine’s counteroffensive

The director of Ukraine's Main Intelligence Directorate, Kyrylo Budanov, pointed out that while the 2023 Ukrainian counteroffensive was unsuccessful, it should not be classified as a "disaster" and that mobilization will still be necessary for Ukraine's armed forces. He also mentioned that without the help of the DPRK, the situation with ammunition in Russia "would be catastrophic."

Budanov said this in an interview with FT.

"To say that everything is fine [the question that the announced counteroffensive of Ukraine in 2023 did not achieve success – ed.] is not valid.

To say that this is a disaster is also not true…

Although the original plans called for something different, we kept our promise. This summer, our units repeatedly entered Crimea," Budanov noted.

The head of Ukraine's intelligence commented on the mobilization, noting that it is even difficult to imagine that Ukraine will do without the recruitment of additional people – the lack of hands is very noticeable.

Budanov predicts that Ukraine will still be able to contain Putin, and it has already been proven that the whole legend about the power of Russia is a "soap bubble."

He emphasized that currently, North Korea has become Russia's largest supplier of weapons.

In particular, the DPRK transferred a lot of artillery ammunition to the Russian Federation.

According to him, Russia spends more weapons and ammunition than it can produce. At the same time, it has problems with its quality, which is why it is forced to look for weapons in other countries.

Budanov also added that without the help of North Korea, the situation with ammunition in Russia "would be catastrophic."

According to the chief intelligence officer, supplying a "significant amount" of artillery ammunition allowed the Russians to "breathe a little."

At the same time, Russia does not want to rely on foreign aid.

"It was always seen as beneath them; it is (for them) a humiliation," says the head of Ukrainian intelligence.

For reference:

The coordinator of the National Security Council of the White House, John Kirby, said that Russia has purchased ballistic missiles from North Korea. They have already been used for attacks on Ukraine.

ISW soon reported that Russia was increasing its efforts to obtain ballistic missiles from abroad, as these missiles may be more effective at penetrating or evading Ukrainian air defenses.

Yuriy Ihnat, the spokesman of the Air Force of Ukraine's armed forces, said that the Air Force currently cannot confirm the information about the use of ballistic missiles by the Russian army, which North Korea transferred.

Later, because of such information about the supply of North Korean missiles to the Russian Federation, the United States convened a meeting of the UN Security Council.

Law enforcement officials are establishing the country of production of the missiles that the Russian Federation used to hit Kharkiv on January 2. Two civilians died as a result of the shelling.

In Kharkiv, experts are examining the surviving tail part of the missile, which the Russian Federation could have received from the DPRK: visually, it is similar to "Iskander," but there are some technical differences; in addition, experts note that the missile was not assembled so well.

On Thursday, January 11, the Prosecutor General of Ukraine, Andriy Kostin, confirmed to Suspilne. Sprovyt broadcast that Russia is already using missiles from North Korea in the war against Ukraine.

However, the DPRK declared that the accusations about Russia's use of North Korean missiles in the war against Ukraine are groundless.