How realistic is it to retake all of Ukraine this year? “Absolutely,” says the Ukrainian secret service. However, the project also depends on EU disputes over ammunition stocks – which are increasingly perceived as “frustrating” in Ukraine.
The head of Ukraine’s military intelligence service, Kyrylo Budanov, believes a recapture of the entire Russian-occupied territory this year is “good” possible. There is “only one way to end this war, by restoring the borders” from 1991, the 37-year-old said in an interview with the RBK-Ukrajina news agency on Monday.
Ukraine rules out Russian nuclear attack
In football terms, the Russian offensive war is currently said to last “between 72 and 75 minutes”. Budanov did not dare to predict whether there would be extra time and a penalty shoot-out. “Only God can know that.” At the same time, the head of the secret service ruled out a Russian nuclear strike in the event of a recapture of the Black Sea peninsula of Crimea.
“Ukraine will never agree to give up any part of its territory,” Budanov said. The long-awaited Ukrainian spring offensive is still in preparation. “I think there will be enough territory to be recaptured in this operation,” the intelligence officer said. He gave no information about the direction of the attack.
Role of EU fighters
For the reconquest, Ukraine should then be able to rely on further equipment from the EU. According to EU chief diplomat Josep Borrell, the intra-European dispute over the joint procurement of ammunition will soon be resolved.
The dispute is mainly about the fact that France has so far insisted that, as part of an agreement last month, ammunition should only be purchased jointly with EU money if it comes entirely from European production. Many other countries refuse to do this due to time constraints.
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba sharply criticized the dispute last week. He wrote on Twitter: “The EU’s inability to implement its own decision on the joint procurement of ammunition for Ukraine is frustrating.” For Ukraine, “the cost of inactivity is measured in human lives”. Kuleba also shared on the platform: “The time for white diplomatic gloves will come. But first we need to provide enough shells for the tired and greasy hands of our artillerymen.
Wagner boss wants to “kill everyone at once”
The head of the Russian Wagner mercenaries, Yevgeny Prigozhin, meanwhile, threatened to take no more prisoners in the future and to kill all Ukrainian soldiers. “We will just destroy everyone on the battlefield,” Prigozhin said. He justified this with an alleged intercepted radio message from the Ukrainians, in which they discussed the shooting of wounded Wagner mercenaries. Prigozhin accused Kiev of violating international law.
According to British estimates, Russia is continuing to “Russify” the occupied territories in Ukraine. The Defense Ministry in London said on Monday, citing information from intelligence services, that the population was being forced to accept Russian passports. “Residents of the Kherson region have been warned that those who have not accepted Russian passports by June 1, 2023 will be deported and their property confiscated,” it said.
The bureaucratic integration should help to present the invasion as a success, especially in view of the Russian presidential elections in 2024. Russia had declared the partially occupied Ukrainian regions of Zaporizhia, Kherson, Donetsk and Luhansk to be annexed after bogus references.
Source: Krone
I am Wallace Jones, an experienced journalist. I specialize in writing for the world section of Today Times Live. With over a decade of experience, I have developed an eye for detail when it comes to reporting on local and global stories. My passion lies in uncovering the truth through my investigative skills and creating thought-provoking content that resonates with readers worldwide.
