Ukrainian counteroffensive did not bring desired results - Zelenskyy
President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy (Getty Images)
Ukraine fell short of desired outcomes during the summer counteroffensive by its armed forces, but the defenders stand firm, according to the Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in an interview with AP News.
"Look, we are not backing down, I am satisfied. We are fighting with the second (best) army in the world, I am satisfied. We are losing people, I’m not satisfied. We didn’t get all the weapons we wanted, I can’t be satisfied, but I also can’t complain too much," Zelensky said.
He added that the desired results were not achieved during the counteroffensive by the Ukrainian Armed Forces.
"We wanted faster results. From that perspective, unfortunately, we did not achieve the desired results. And this is a fact," emphasized the head of state.
According to him, Ukraine did not receive all the necessary weapons from allies, and limited forces prevent a swift advance.
"There is not enough power to achieve the desired results faster. But this does not mean that we should give up, that we have to surrender. We are confident in our actions. We fight for what is ours," the president said.
Ukraine's counteroffensive
This summer, Ukrainian military shifted to a counteroffensive on several fronts. Intense battles took place in the Zaporizhzhia region, specifically towards Melitopol and Berdiansk, as well as near Bakhmut in the Donetsk region. The Ukrainian Armed Forces managed to liberate a number of populated areas.
However, the counteroffensive has now almost come to a halt. One of the main reasons for this is the minefields and Russian defensive lines.
Previously, the Chief of the General Staff of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, Valerii Zaluzhnyi, said that the war is entering a new stage - "positional," characterized by exhaustive battles.
