Ukrainian presidential adviser Mykhailo Podolyak said preliminary operations had begun, paving the way for a counterattack against Russian forces.
“It is a complex process, it cannot be done in a day or two, or in a certain hour,” Mr Podolyak said in an interview with The Guardian . In fact, some operations are already underway, such as destroying supply lines or blowing up warehouses behind the front lines, the official said.
Ukrainian servicemen next to a BM-21 Grad rocket launcher near Bakhmut on May 19.
“The intensity is increasing but it will take quite a while,” he added, predicting that as the counter-offensive gains momentum, there will be more incursions by Russian rebel groups into Russian territory, such as the recent raid in the Belgorod region.
On the same day, May 27, Commander-in-Chief of the Ukrainian Armed Forces Valeriy Zaluzhny revealed that a counter-offensive was approaching when he declared on social media: "It's time to take back what belongs to us."
Earlier, Secretary of the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine Oleksiy Danilov said that the time, place and method of the counterattack had been determined, but noted that the final decision rested with President Volodymyr Zelensky. It is believed that the leader may not publicly announce the launch of the counterattack.
In an interview with the BBC on May 27, Mr. Danilov said the military was ready to launch a counterattack. "It could happen tomorrow, the day after tomorrow or in a week," Mr. Danilov said, stressing that the counterattack was a historic opportunity that Ukraine could not afford to lose. "We understand that we have no right to make mistakes," the official affirmed.
There had been speculation that Ukraine would launch a counter-offensive in late spring or winter. However, the country is believed to have delayed its plans due to unsuitable weather and the need for more weapons from the West.
Spring has finally arrived in southern Ukraine, according to The Washington Post . And with temperatures reaching 78 degrees Fahrenheit (25.5 degrees Celsius) last weekend, expectations are high for a long-awaited Ukrainian counteroffensive against Russian forces.
Russia says it intercepted Storm Shadow missiles, HIMARS rockets
TASS news agency on May 27 quoted Russian Defense Ministry spokesman Igor Konashenkov as saying that Russian air defense forces intercepted two Storm Shadow missiles, 19 rockets of the High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS), two HARM anti-radar missiles and shot down 12 Ukrainian combat drones (UAVs) in the past 24 hours.
In addition, Mr. Konashenkov also stated that the Russian army caused losses in both human lives and equipment to Ukraine in provinces such as Kharkiv, Luhansk, Donetsk, Zaporizhzhia and Kherson.
Meanwhile, attacks on Russian territory continued, causing casualties. Governor Roman Starovoit of Russia’s Kursk region bordering Ukraine announced on May 27 that a construction worker in the Sudzhansky district had been killed by shelling. In neighboring Belgorod province, one person was killed and three others were injured by Ukrainian shelling.
In the Tver region, northwest of Moscow, two drones attacked a facility on the Druzhba (Friendship) pipeline, one of the world’s largest oil pipelines. Tver authorities said one drone crashed near the village of Erokhino, about 500 kilometers from the border with Ukraine.
In the Nevelsky district of the Pskov region, bordering Belarus, two UAVs caused an explosion on the morning of May 27, damaging an administrative building that manages the oil pipeline. No one was injured in the incident.
Kyiv has not commented on the above information.
Russia sets conditions for peace deal
Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Galuzin said on May 27 that one of the conditions of the peace process is that Ukraine abandons its membership in NATO and the European Union (EU) and returns to non-aligned neutral status.
The diplomat noted that Russia maintains its approach to resolving the Ukrainian conflict, which is "protecting the people of Donbass, demilitarizing and denuclearizing Ukraine, eliminating threats to Russia's security originating from the territory of Ukraine."
"We believe that a solution can only be achieved with a complete cessation of military action by the Ukrainian army and the cessation of arms supplies from the West," Deputy Minister Galuzin said.
Mr. Galuzin asked Ukraine to recognize the “new territorial reality,” referring to the four regions in Ukraine that Russia annexed, as well as Crimea. Ukraine does not recognize the referendums that led to the annexation and considers the regions to still be Ukrainian territory.
On the other hand, Mr. Galuzin also added that protecting the rights of Russian speakers and ethnic minorities in Ukraine is an essential element of a peaceful solution.
This month, Ukrainian official Danilov said there would be no peace talks on Russia's terms.
Ukraine wants 500 km range missiles
Taurus cruise missile
THE DRIVE SCREENSHOT
Ukraine has asked Germany to supply Taurus cruise missiles, which are launched from aircraft and have a range of about 500 km.
The information was announced by a spokesman for the German Defense Ministry on May 27. This person said that Berlin received the request a few days ago but did not comment on the possibility of supplying it to Ukraine.
The Taurus cruise missile is built by European missile manufacturer MBDA and has similar features to the British Storm Shadow. It can be used to attack high-value targets, troops or fuel depots located deep behind front lines, and is also capable of destroying hardened targets such as underground bunkers.
Ukraine has asked the US to provide the Army Tactical Missile System (ATACMS) with a range of 297 km, but Washington has so far refused. Earlier in May, the UK became the first country to publicly supply long-range cruise missiles to Ukraine. The Storm Shadow missile has a range of more than 250 km and has been used on the battlefield.
Like the US, Germany may be concerned that Ukraine will use long-range missiles to attack Russian territory, increasing the risk of escalating the conflict. With a range of 500 km, the Taurus missile can reach Moscow.
Source link
Comment (0)