Even if the Ukrainian counter-offensive is proceeding more slowly than planned, the Ukrainian head of state Volodymyr Zelenskyy is satisfied and convinced of Kiev’s victory in the horribly bloody offensive war. Meanwhile, pressure is mounting in Russia. After the uprising of the Wagner mercenary group, a professional army with seven million soldiers is now demanded there.
“Today our soldiers are advancing in all directions, it is a lucky day,” Zelenskyj said in his daily video address Monday night. He wishes the soldiers more days like this. Prior to his speech, which he gave on a train, the Ukrainian head of state had visited different parts of the front.
“Our whole Earth will be free – absolutely everything”
It was a full and emotional day, he said. He was in both the Bakhmut area and Zaporizhia in the south of the country and presented several awards, including two gold stars for Heroes of Ukraine – the country’s highest award. Given the recent successes, Selenskyj was convinced of victory over the Russian occupiers. The Kiev leadership reported on Monday that another city in the Zaporizhia region had been recaptured. “All of our Earth will be free – absolutely everything,” the head of state said hopefully.
Private armies in the crossfire of criticism
Against the background of the uprising of the Wagner mercenary group, Russian negotiator Leonid Slutski (photo see tweet below) is pushing for a contract army with at least seven million military and civilian personnel. “The country has no need for PMCs (private security and military companies) and the like,” Slutski, leader of the Liberal Democratic Party, told the Telegram news app.
“There are problems in the regular army, but PMCs can’t solve them.” At the end of 2022, Russian President Vladimir Putin called for an expansion of the army from 1.15 million to 1.5 million soldiers, including 695,000 contract soldiers. The increase to seven million would require huge budgetary expenditure. The Russian economy contracted by 2.2 percent last year as a result of the war and Western sanctions and is expected to recover only slightly this year.
The Kremlin is looking for support
The Kremlin is also seeking support from other countries: Leaders of Russia and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) discussed the Wagner uprising in a phone call on Saturday, according to the Kremlin and the UAE state news agency. “After receiving extensive information (the president of the UAE), the Emirati leader declared his full support for the actions of the Russian leadership,” the WAM news agency reported. Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed al-Nahayan and Russian President Vladimir Putin discussed bilateral relations and reiterated the need to ensure Russia’s stability and the security of its people.
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.
