Ukraine preparing brigades for new offensive and defensive operations, MFA states
Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine, Dmytro Kuleba (Photo: Vitalii Nosach, RBC-Ukraine)
The ongoing armed resistance by Ukrainian defenders against Russia's large-scale military aggression is limiting the Kremlin's ability to regroup. Moscow would have used the halt in fighting to prepare for a new attack, according to a statement by Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba made in an interview with The Wall Street Journal.
The ongoing armed defense by Ukrainian forces against Russia's large-scale military aggression is reducing the Kremlin's opportunities for regrouping. Moscow would take advantage of any pause in the fighting to prepare for new active military campaigns against Ukraine.
"The only outcome would be Russia shaking off the losses and the troubles it faced in Ukraine and making another assault," Kuleba stated.
The Foreign Minister also informed about the Ukrainian side's preparation of units and divisions for new offensive and defensive operations on the front.
"We are setting our brigades for new counteroffensive and defensive operations," the minister stated.
Speculations about the war's pause
The statement by the Ukrainian Foreign Minister comes amid opinions expressed by unnamed Western experts in The Wall Street Journal suggesting that if Ukraine and its allies manage their current challenges and continue supplying provisions to the troops, the best scenario would be the reinforcement and expansion of Ukrainian Armed Forces capabilities in the coming year.
These Western strategists believe that a limited number of Ukrainian military personnel could contain the Russian army, allowing NATO member countries time to prepare new Ukrainian units, expand arms production, and replenish defense arsenals.
It is also mentioned in the article that recent discussions within NATO focused on the failures of Russian attempts to break through the Ukrainian defense, which is depleting the resources of the aggressor country in terms of manpower, equipment, and ammunition. This potentially could give Ukraine the best prospects to regain the initiative on the battlefield in the spring of 2025.
Regrouping by Russia
The Office of the President of Ukraine previously stated that Russia needs an operational pause in combat for several months, utilizing all resources for this purpose. According to advisor to the Head of the Office of the President of Ukraine, Mykhailo Podolyak, a minimum 5-month pause is necessary for the terrorists:
- Re-armament of the army;
- Additional mobilization;
- Training;
- Organizing new logistics;
- Deployment of additional military production capacities;
- Formation of a war-weary coalition to pressure societies in different countries.
It's been recently suggested by the Head of the Office of the President, Andriy Yermak, that the next year will be decisive in resolving the full-scale war Russia has waged against Ukraine, marking an imminent turning point.
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy mentioned that Ukraine is in the final stage of the war, which could also be the toughest. However, military experts hold differing opinions on the actual stage of the war.
On December 8, Ants Laaneots, the Commander of the Estonian Center for Defense Investment, announced Russia's commencement of its troops' regrouping. This could indicate that in the coming weeks, even more intensive offensives by the occupiers could occur in Ukraine.
