National Guard commander: Russia can fight for years but won't reach Kyiv
Photo: Russian military (Getty Images)
Russia will be able to sustain the current intensity of the war for at least another one to two years, but its capacity for a large-scale offensive remains limited, Ukraine’s National Guard commander Oleksandr Pivnenko said.
According to him, Russia has a significant mobilization resource which, combined with its authoritarian system, allows it to replenish its army even amid heavy losses.
"As for manpower, they can keep fighting for another one to two years even with losses like these," Pivnenko said.
At the same time, he stressed that the enemy is unable to form sufficient reserves to conduct large-scale operations.
"They cannot create serious reserves to, hypothetically, launch a large offensive from the north, reach Kyiv, and settle the issue. They are not even thinking about it, because their resources are not unlimited and the intensity of the war is extreme," the National Guard commander added.
According to Pivnenko, Russian forces are currently focused on attempts to advance in the Donetsk region, particularly near Pokrovsk and Kostiantynivka, while the capture of Sloviansk or Kramatorsk remains a distant prospect.
He also noted that the effectiveness of Ukrainian forces is increasing, making it harder for the enemy to carry out its plans.
"We will create such a defense and such a density of kill zones that the war will become pointless for Russia. There will be no results other than losses. We have shown that we will fight for our land, and the Russians understand this," the commander concluded.
At the same time, according to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, despite heavy losses on the battlefield, Russia is preparing for new offensive operations and expanding mobilization.
According to Ukrainian intelligence, irreversible losses among Russian forces have already reached about 60% of the total, but this has not stopped Russia’s leadership from continuing the war.
