Amid rumors about a start date for a Ukrainian counterattack against Russian troops, which was scheduled for last spring and then postponed to avoid heavy casualties, Russian President Vladimir Putin decided the matter.

On Friday, Putin confirmed that the counterattack, which Ukraine had been preparing for months, had “started” at the front, but Kyiv forces had failed to “achieve their goals,” AFP reported.

Putin’s Statement

He also added in a video broadcast on Telegram of a Russian public television correspondent: “We can absolutely confirm that this attack began with evidence of the use of strategic reserves,” adding that the fighting has been going on for 5 days, but “Ukrainian forces have not reached their targets on any of battlefields.”

He still has offensive capabilities.

He also emphasized that “all attempts at counterattacks made so far have failed, but the Kyiv regime still has offensive capabilities”, stressing that the Russian response “will be based on this conclusion”.

At the same time, he pointed out that Ukrainian losses are in favor of Russia “at the rate of 3 to one.”

The Plans

This came after Ukrainian Deputy Defense Minister Hana Malyar cut off all rumors of a counteroffensive, saying that “plans love silence and the counterattack will not start because it is being promoted on social media.”

And she confirmed in an interview with the French newspaper Le Figaro on Thursday that this attack has not yet begun, but it will be launched soon, explaining that “things will not happen as they are promoted on social networks, which means an official announcement that that the attack will be launched today at ten o’clock.”

Attacks on Bakhmut

At the same time, however, it emerged that last week several attacks had begun on Bakhmut, a town that had fallen under Russian control after months of bloody fighting against Wagner’s Russian forces.

She also stressed that the collapse of the Kakhovskaya hydroelectric power station in the south of the country would not prevent Ukrainian forces from realizing their plans.

It indicated that significant progress had been made in the Bakhmut direction, which would make it possible to make a breakthrough.

Advantages of Ukrainian Forces

NATO Training and Western Weapons

When asked what the Ukrainian forces depend on, Malyar explained that Russia is undoubtedly well armed, “especially since it has been preparing for this war for 30 years,” as she put it. But at the same time, she stressed that the Ukrainian army also has many advantages.

Because he saw that the first point that plays in his favor is that the Ukrainian forces defend their land, and also took many courses with NATO forces and acquired their advanced standards and methods.

And she said her country’s armed forces are adopting methods of making military decisions on the ground “faster and less bureaucratically than the Russians.”

In addition, she believed that Western military assistance was also an important advantage.

International Support

Activation of international campaigns

For months, Ukraine has reportedly stepped up its international campaigns to urge its Western allies to support it with longer-range missiles as well as advanced airborne fighters in preparation for this attack. Many countries have met this demand, led by the US, UK and other European countries.

However, recent flooding in southern Ukraine due to the collapse of the Kakhovka Dam may delay the plan, according to some observers.