Kyiv: The current conflict between Russia and Ukraine is not a Hollywood movie. Whenever there is talk of a counter-offensive campaign against Ukraine, claims are made that this event will lead to the downfall of Russia or that Ukraine will gain nothing. Sometimes the campaign is painted like the plot of a Hollywood movie. The campaign of counter attacks is the great battle for Middle-earth, and the Battle of Gondor is said to decide everything. But nothing like that will happen, Ukraine’s Senior Adviser Mikhail Podoliak pointed out that the campaign of counter-offensives will not be a decisive turning point in the conflict.
For the past few months, there has been a back-and-forth discussion on the issue of Ukraine’s ‘Spring Counter-offensive’ at the international level. Last year, Ukraine forced Russian troops to withdraw from the capital Kyiv and the Kharkiv region. After that, Russia also withdrew its troops from the southern city of Kherson. On the same lines, claims are being made that the Ukrainian army will launch a strong attack on Russia, take control of parts of southern Ukraine, and take over Crimea.
By advancing the issue of this ‘Spring Counter-offensive’, Ukraine has acquired many weapons from the West. It also includes tanks, guns, missiles, rockets and fighter planes. The US and NATO member countries have also trained thousands of Ukrainian soldiers. With the help of new weapons and trained soldiers, Ukraine is expected to launch attacks on Russian-occupied areas. Some officials and media in Ukraine and Russia, along with Western countries, had predicted that these attacks on Ukraine would start in May.
However, it has not yet come to light that the planned counter-offensive of Ukraine has started. On the contrary, it is said that the battles against Russia in various areas are part of the counter-attack from Ukraine. The Ukrainian authorities say that the drone attacks in Russia and the damage caused by the Ukrainian troops in Bakhmut and South Ukraine are counter-attacks. In this background, the statement made by Podoliak, the advisor of President Volodymyr Zelensky, is attracting attention.
Furthermore, Podoliak mentions Middle-Earth and Gondor in British author J.R.R. Tolkien’s ‘Lord of the Rings series of novels. It depicts the battle for Middle-Earth as a decisive battle. Ukraine’s senior advisers have made it clear that despite the novel, Ukraine’s campaign of counter-attacks will not be like that. Therefore, the doubts expressed by analysts in Russia and Europe about Ukraine’s campaign seem to have been confirmed.
The US Secretary of State has drawn attention by making opposing statements, even as Ukraine’s advisers are coming to grips with the reality of the counter-attack campaign. ‘Ukraine can regain the territory that Russia captured in the last 14 months. Ukraine has been given the weapons and training to succeed in counter-offensives. They also have the right plans,’ claimed US Secretary of State Antony Blinken.
