Russia’s offensive operation likely to run out of steam by spring – Ukraine’s intelligence chief

At the moment, the offensive operation of the Russian Federation in Ukraine continues, but at the beginning of spring, it will be completely exhausted.

The head of the Main Intelligence Directorate of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine, Kyrylo Budanov, stated this on the air of the national telethon.

"Not yet (the picture on the front is unclear – ed.). It will be closer to spring. Now I can tell you that the offensive operation of the Russian Federation is currently underway," said Budanov.

According to Budanov, it began in November 2023 and has been going on for two and a half months. The head of intelligence added that it would be wrong to call the results of the offensive any great. However, he admitted that near Avdiivka in the Donetsk region, there was a certain advance of the occupiers.

"But this is not what they were counting on. They wanted to quickly reach the barrier line along the Chornyi Zherebets River [Black Stallion in Ukrainian – ed.] River in the Kharkiv region and reach the administrative border of Donetsk and Luhansk regions. As you understand, they are not even close to that," Budanov said.

He also stated that even though the offensive of the Russian army continues, it will be completely exhausted in the spring of this year and noted that, as per the rules of any game, when the enemy's move ends, the move of the Ukrainian army will begin.

Earlier, Kyrylo Budanov said the Russian-Ukrainian war could continue for a long time even without active hostilities. He also assumed that systemic destructive changes in Russia will occur in 2025.

"There is hope that 2025 will be a turning point for internal systemic destructive changes and processes in the Russian state, society, and economy. But this is not a forecast, but an expectation," said the head of intelligence.

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As Rubryka previously reported, the British Ministry of Defense has analyzed the situation on the battlefield and the progress of Russian troops. Their analysis concluded that the Russian army's accomplishments at the front were minimal.