Ukraine lacks the capabilities for a counteroffensive on Russia - a Ukrainian military official claims

Washington – Ukraine’s senior military officials have claimed that the military lacks the capabilities to carry out a planned counteroffensive campaign against Russia successfully. Brigadier General Serhii Melnyk, the head of the Ukrainian Army in the Kharkiv region, made this claim during an interview with a Spanish daily. At the same time, he also brought to notice that Ukraine had lost its experienced military officers and trained personnel during the last 14 months of conflict.

Ukraine’s planned counteroffensive campaign has been hotly debated for the past few weeks. This issue has come to the fore due to leaks in the US Defense Department, also bringing differences between Ukraine and the Western countries into the limelight. Some Western countries, including the United States, have taken the position that Ukraine should limit the scope and purpose of the counterattack campaign. However, the Ukrainian president and the neighbouring states say they will not withdraw without taking control of Crimea.

The counteroffensive campaign is said to have been postponed after Pentagon leaks exposed some confidential aspects of the Ukraine military campaign. A senior Ukrainian minister dismissed the possibility of a separate campaign, claiming that the current operations in the Donbas region are part of the counteroffensive. A few days ago, US media reported that Ukraine’s counteroffensive campaign would begin with attacks in southern Ukraine in May.

Against this background, the statement made by the senior Ukrainian military official becomes noteworthy. General Sergey Melnyk is recognized as one of the most senior and experienced officers in the Army. “Ukraine’s Army lacks manpower and weapons. Experienced, trained and professional-level officers, as well as soldiers, are injured, disabled and exhausted. Many have died. We are currently relying on soldiers with little military experience,” claimed General Sergey Melnyk.

‘Ukraine would need four to six times its current capabilities and weapons proportionate to those if it were to succeed in the planned counteroffensive. Only then would it be possible to breach the defences set up by Russian armed forces,’ the Ukrainian official underscored.

Meanwhile, the website “Politico” reported a new warning given by US circles to the Ukrainian regime in an article. Senior US officials have issued instructions, saying that Ukraine needed to bear in mind that the military units do not get divided into several areas while carrying out the counterattack campaign.

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