Kiev (EFE) counteroffensive.
“The defeat of Russia is the guarantee for a normal life in Europe. There is currently no greater task. To get it, Ukraine needs more weapons and ammunition, and all this must be delivered as quickly as possible,” Kuleba said in a statement sent to the media.
Among Ukraine’s most urgent needs, Kuleba mentioned “more armored vehicles, tanks and artillery systems, long-range artillery and ammunition.”
The head of Ukrainian diplomacy also called for strengthening Ukraine’s anti-aircraft and anti-missile capabilities and for the training of Ukrainian pilots to use the F-16 fighter jets that Kiev unsuccessfully claims from its partners to begin “immediately” for months.
Borrell assures that the financing of ammunition “is underway”
The high representative of the European Union (EU) for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Josep Borrell, assured this Monday that the Union has already “launched” the financing of ammunition requested by Ukraine to defend itself against the invasion of Russia, despite to the fact that the Twenty-seven still need to legally specify the use of 1,000 million euros to make joint orders to the industry.
“While we pursue this legal settlement, don’t think we’re just sitting around waiting. General work is underway. And once the legal agreement is reached, the practical work will be finished, ”Borrell told the press upon his arrival at a Council of Community Foreign Ministers.
Last week, the Ukrainian Foreign Minister, Dmitro Kuleba, criticized that the EU had not yet agreed how to invest those 1,000 million euros to make joint purchases of ammunition and, thus, be able to replenish their arsenals, depleted by the immediate delivery of stocks they are doing to Kiev.
Wagners believe Ukraine will launch counter-offensive when Bakhmut falls
Military analysts contacted by Efe have cited the lack of sufficient ammunition as the main reason why Ukraine cannot launch its long-awaited counteroffensive.
However, the head of the Wagner group of Russian mercenaries, Yevgeny Prigozhin, predicted today that the Ukrainian counteroffensive will begin as soon as Russian forces take the Bakhmut stronghold in Donbas.
“As soon as we finish taking Bakhmut, as soon as we drive out the last soldier or annihilate him in Bakhmut, that same day the Ukrainian counteroffensive will begin,” he said on his Telegram channel.
“It’ll be very soon. because the Ukrainians will have a large number of troops, ”he added.
Wagner’s boss pointed out that Ukrainian forces currently control an area of no more than “one by two kilometers” in Bakhmut and therefore could not hinder the Russian advance.
“Our task is to grind the Ukrainian Army, not to give them the opportunity to prepare for the counteroffensive. We do it very successfully,” he stated.
However, he warned that, after the capture of Bakhmut, “the Ukrainian Army will undoubtedly take advantage of the fact that Wagner is inside the city and will cut off our flanks.”
Ukrainian President Volodymyr “Zelensky” will need a big win. And for this the counteroffensive will begin, ”he asserted.