Alexey Danilov did not give a date, but said that an assault on the territory seized by the occupying forces of President Vladimir Putin could begin.tomorrow, the day after tomorrow or next week.
He warned that the Ukrainian government “has no right to make a mistake” with this decision because it was a “historic opportunity” that “we cannot miss”.
As secretary of the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine, Danilov is at the very center of President Volodymyr Zelensky’s de facto cabinet.
His rare BBC interview was interrupted by a phone message from President Zelenskiy, who summoned him to a meeting to discuss the counteroffensive.
During the interview, he also confirmed that part of the forces of the Wagner mercenary group retreated from the city of Bakhmutin the middle of the bloodiest battle of the entire war, but added that they were “regrouping in three other places” and “this does not mean that they will stop fighting us.”
Danilov said he was “completely calm” about the start of the transfer of nuclear weapons to Belarus, commenting: “For us, this is not news at all.”
Ukraine has been planning a counteroffensive for months. But he needs as much time as possible to train his troops and receive military equipment from his Western allies.
Meanwhile, Russian forces are preparing defenses.
“We are always ready”
The stakes are high because the government in Kyiv needs to show the Ukrainian people and Western allies that it can break through the Russian front, break the military stalemate and reclaim sovereign territory.
Danilov pointed out that the armed forces the assault will begin as soon as the commanders calculate “at what point in the war we will get the best results”.
When asked if the Ukrainian armed forces were ready for an offensive, he replied: “We are always ready. Just like we were ready to defend our country at any moment. And it’s not a matter of time”, he assured.
“We must understand that we cannot miss this historic opportunity given to us by God, so that we can truly be a great, independent European country.”
And he added: “It can happen tomorrow, the day after tomorrow or in a week.”
“It would be strange if the dates of the beginning of certain events were called. This cannot be done… We are responsible to our country for the accomplishment of a great task. And we understand that we have no right to make a mistake.”
Danilov dismissed the suggestion that the counter-offensive had already begun, saying that “the destruction of Russian command centers and Russian military equipment” has been the task of the Ukrainian armed forces since February 24 last year, when Russia launched its invasion.
“We don’t have days off during this war,” he said.
Also defended the decision of the Ukrainian army to fight in Bakhmut for so many monthsa battle that claimed the lives of many of his soldiers.
“Bajmut is our land, our territory, and we must protect it,” he said. “If we start leaving every city, we will end up on our western border, which is what Putin wanted from the first days of the war.”
He said that “we only control a small part of the city and we admit it. But you must keep in mind that Bakhmut played an important role in this war.”
As for the exit of the Wagner mercenaries, he replied: “Yes, this happens. But this does not mean that they will stop fighting with us. They’re going to concentrate more on other fronts… they’re regrouping in three other places.”
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Source: La Opinion
Alfred Hart is an accomplished journalist known for his expert analysis and commentary on global affairs. He currently works as a writer at 24 news breaker, where he provides readers with in-depth coverage of the most pressing issues affecting the world today. With a keen insight and a deep understanding of international politics and economics, Alfred’s writing is a must-read for anyone seeking a deeper understanding of the world we live in.