Ukrainian general: “If we limit ourselves only to defense, we will be crushed.” Kiev is preparing surprise actions on the front
The Ukrainian armed forces are trying to take the initiative on the battlefield and are preparing actions that could take Russian troops by surprise, says Major General Oleksandr Komarenko.
Ukrainian forces went on the counter-offensive in some areas of the front PHOTO: Profimedia
In an interview with RBC-Ukraine, the senior officer explained that Kiev's strategy cannot be exclusively defensive. According to him, the permanent reaction to the adversary's actions would inevitably lead to the exhaustion of Ukrainian forces.
“If we don't have the initiative and limit ourselves to only repelling attacks, sooner or later we will be crushed“, warned Komarenko. “That's why actions are planned to force the enemy to change their plans and act in a way they didn't anticipate.”
The general did not provide details about these operations, but specified that they could also take place in directions where Russian troops are not currently carrying out intensive activities. The goal would be to force the Russian military to redistribute resources and react under conditions imposed by Kiev.
According to Komarenko, these plans do not necessarily involve only classic military actions, but also “asymmetric” methods.
“It will be something that is not expected”he said, adding that the General Staff already has several operational scenarios prepared for different sectors of the front.
Ukrainian counter-offensive in the Dnipropetrovsk region
In the same interview, Komarenko confirmed that a counteroffensive operation by Ukrainian forces in the direction of Oleksandrivka, on the border between the Dnipropetrovsk and Zaporizhia regions, allowed the almost complete recovery of the territories occupied by Russia last year in the Dnipropetrovsk area.
According to the general, there are only a few small towns where military operations must be completed.
He emphasized that the military action was a planned operation, even if at first glance it might have appeared as a series of separate local attacks.
“The forms of warfare are changing. The development of technologies, especially drones, is changing the way military operations are planned and conducted”explained Komarenko.
The operation would have been led by units of airborne troops, supported by mechanized brigades defending the respective sector of the front.
The general added that the Russian offensive in this area was aimed at creating a buffer zone in front of the Donbas region.
Kiev claims Russia has lost 'battle for winter'
For his part, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy recently said that Russian troops may attempt a spring offensive, but with no real prospects of success.
At the same time, Taras Cemut, representative of the Ministry of Defense on the board of the Defense Procurement Agency, stated that for the first time in a long time, Ukraine is recapturing more territory than it is losing.
According to him, Russia would have lost the “battle for winter”.
Intense fighting in the Zaporozhye region
In parallel, military analysts of the DeepState project claim that Russian troops have come very close to controlling the city of Guliaipole.
According to them, Russia sends numerous infantry groups to the area and conducts active operations near the towns of Sviatopetrivka, Staroukrainka and Zaliznicine.
At the same time, the Ukrainian army is carrying out counterattacks in the border area between the Zaporizhia and Dnipropetrovsk regions, trying to clear the territories occupied by Russian troops.
Heavy fighting is also reported near the town of Berezove, while in other sectors of the front, Ukrainian forces are conducting search and strike operations, targeting Russian infantry and their military equipment.
