On the anniversary, there were repeated warnings of a major offensive in Ukraine. Friday is the day – but so far there are hardly any signs of a major attack. “The big Russian offensive that the Russians are aiming for is already underway,” said Ukrainian major general and intelligence chief Kyrylo Budanov, 37, in an interview with Ukrainian Forbes.
Budanov’s words often come true. He is one of the closest advisers to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy (45). The major was one of the first to warn of a Russian invasion and his predictions were almost always correct.
The great offensive is going well, “but so badly that you don’t even notice it”, notes Budanov. By the end of March, the Russian army wants to bring the People’s Republics under Russian control. The Major General doubts it can.
Russia has been fighting in Bakhmut for months without success
Bloody skirmishes have been raging in Bachmut for months. “According to official sources, the Russians have repeatedly tried to take Bakhmut since June,” Budanov continued. “It’s February and they’re still saying, ‘We’re almost there!'” Russia is waging an information war. His reports deviate from the reality at the front, the head of the secret service explains.
The offensive is stagnating and the Russians need more fighters to conquer areas. Therefore, a “hidden mobilization” is underway. The Ukrainian continues: “In a country with over 100 million inhabitants, it is easy to recruit 500,000 people.” The fact that Russia has mobilized more than 300,000 people and that is apparently not enough indicates that Russia has lost a lot of people in the war.
In Budanov’s estimation, stockpiles of weapons are also low. Wagner boss Yevgeny Prigozhin (61) only complained on Monday that no ammunition was delivered to him. Budanov is sure that ammunition is scarce on the Russian side. “That’s why this major offensive is not noticed by everyone,” he explains.
Ukraine and Russia just before the showdown
The decisive battles are yet to come. According to Budanov, the time comes at the end of spring. “The score is 1-1 in the 70th minute,” he says in a football metaphor. Ukraine and Russia are in an impasse. According to him, the war would be over in three and a half months.
The coming battles represent the decisive confrontation. “They are a turning point,” Budanov said. He is confident in victory: “We have only one condition: to reach the administrative limits of 1991, and everything else we will decide later.”
Source: Blick
I am Amelia James, a passionate journalist with a deep-rooted interest in current affairs. I have more than five years of experience in the media industry, working both as an author and editor for 24 Instant News. My main focus lies in international news, particularly regional conflicts and political issues around the world.
