Ukraine’s president said he believed the country would be “successful” against invading Russians, but warned of the risk of considerable losses if the West stops supplying more weapons, especially air defense. the Ukrainian president, Volodymyr Zelensky, in an interview with the American newspaper Wall Street Journal. The Ukrainian leader, however, warned of the country’s risk of suffering considerable losses if Western countries stop supplying more weapons.
Kiev has been saying for several months that it is preparing a major offensive to try to recover the territories it has occupied since the beginning of the war of aggression launched by the Kremlin in February 2022.
“Many soldiers will die if Kiev is not armed to face Moscow’s air power,” Zelensky said. “Everyone knows perfectly well that any counteroffensive without air superiority is very dangerous. Imagine the feeling of a soldier who knows he has no roof and doesn’t understand why neighboring countries have it,” he said.
Zelensky also stressed that the only weapon capable of protecting Ukraine is the US-made Patriot air defense system, and called for more equipment.
However, Zelenskiy said Ukraine was “ready” to take back the territories it occupied from the invaders. “We strongly believe that we will be successful,” he said. “I don’t know how long it will take. Actually, it could happen in many completely different ways. But we will do it and we are prepared.”
The statements coincided with the new attacks carried out this week against Kiev.
“The reality is 50 patriots, for the most part, will keep people from dying,” he said.
Zelenskiy also expressed frustration ahead of a summit meeting of NATO, the military alliance Ukraine wants to be a part of, in the Lithuanian capital next month.
“If we don’t get recognized and we don’t get a signal in Vilnius, I think it makes no sense for Ukraine to be present at this summit,” he said.
The US claims it has already supplied enough for the counteroffensive
The US government said on Friday it had supplied Ukraine with everything it needs for a counteroffensive against Russia, according to White House National Security Council spokesman John Kirby.
“We are very comfortable that we have responded to Ukraine’s need to launch their counteroffensive when they want to launch it,” Kirby said.
The White House National Security Council spokesman explained that the United States is confident that it has done everything possible to prepare Ukraine for the counteroffensive, not only by providing anti-aircraft defense systems, but also artillery, armor, ammunition and training.
“We have worked hard over the last few months to make sure their supply lists are complete and they have what they need,” Kirby added, noting that air defenses have been a priority in light of Russian President Vladimir Putin’s decision to use the Iranian Air Force. drones (unmanned aerial devices) and cruise missiles to strike civilian targets in Ukraine.
When asked about the number of Russian casualties in the conflict, Kirby limited himself to repeating the same number he gave a month ago, speaking of 100,000 Russians killed and wounded on the war fronts in Ukraine since last December. The spokesman clarified that these Russian casualties occurred mainly in the Bakhmut region in eastern Ukraine, which has been the scene of the toughest fighting on the entire front since August.
jps (AFP, Lusa)
Source: Terra
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