The Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine (C-in-C AFU), Valery Zaluzhny, claims that Ukraine's summer offensive needs an increase in every type of weapon to if it is to advance anywhere near as quickly as the world seems to expect.
He made this statement during a rare interview with The Washington Post, published on Friday, June 30.
Zaluzhny voiced his frustration over the fact that Ukraine, despite having significant Western support, has not received modern fighter jets it has been calling for and, yet, is expected to swiftly reclaim occupied territory from the Russians.
He stressed the criticality of air superiority for launching offensives, a requirement his Western allies acknowledge. However, the expected American-made F-16s are unlikely to arrive earlier than the fall, even in the best-case scenario.
The general emphasized the importance of matching the enemy's artillery firepower, but, due to limited resources, his troops have often been outgunned, with the enemy often firing ten times as many artillery shells during a battle.
"It pi**es me off,” Zaluzhny states, when he hears critics saying that Ukraine's anticipated counteroffensive in the eastern and southern regions is moving at a slower pace than anticipated.
Nevertheless, Zaluzhny emphasized that his troops have been making progress every day, even when it's just a modest gain of 500 meters.
“This is not a show. It's not a show the whole world is watching and betting on or anything. Every day, every meter is given by blood.”
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He further commented that without sufficient supplies, these plans become entirely impossible to achieve. "But they are being carried out. Yes, maybe not as fast as the participants in the show, the observers, would like, but that is their problem."
Every day, the C-in-C of the AFU is burdened with the same pressing questions: When will Ukraine's Western allies deliver the necessary weaponry, especially additional ammunition and the F-16s? How can he be expected to accomplish his mission without them?
Zaluzhny disclosed that he regularly discusses his concerns with his American counterpart, General Mark Milley, whom he deeply admires and considers a friend. They often talk multiple times a week and their conversations can be lengthy.
He stated that Milley fully understands and shares his worries, and Zaluzhny believes that Milley can assist him in addressing these concerns. During their recent conversation on Wednesday, Zaluzhny explicitly mentioned the specific quantity of additional artillery shells he requires on a monthly basis.
During these discussions, the AFU’s top man candidly highlights the potential consequences of the situation. He explained, "We have an agreement: we stay in touch 24/7. So, sometimes I can call up and say, ‘If I don’t get 100,000 shells in a week, 1,000 people will die. Step into my shoes.'"
But "it’s not Milley who decides whether we get planes or not," Zaluzhny stressed.
"It’s just that while that decision is being made, in the obvious situation, a lot of people die every day — a lot. Just because no decision has been made yet."
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Comments (6)
Yes, one sympathises with the plight of Ukraine. It's like fighting a monster with bare hands and you are expected to win. If more lives are to be saved, and for Ukraine to be successful in this war, NATO allies need to urgently supply the country with more morden and sophisticated weapons as repeatedly called for by president zelensky.
For all the self-congratulatory talk in the West about how we will stand by Ukraine forever, we have failed to provide what President Zelensky said, more than a year ago, is necessary - the means to control Ukraine’s skies, & long range missiles on a par with Russia’s. How can infantry advance with no air cover, on a flat plain? Europe needs people with the intelligence, resilience, good humour & courage Ukrainians have shown since the start of this brutal invasion. I hope we do not let Ukraine down again at the Vilnius summit.
Per General Keith Kellogg..We could've sent Warthogs in a few days..with former military pilots/volunteers.
Sharpen Ukrains teeth and let the lions loose cause that tiger is all paper.
He is right every meter is paided in blood. They need everything to win. It's simple Putin is tyrant getting away with war crimes. He must be stopped let's stop him . He is capable of anything he is not only a dangerous to the Ukraine he is dangerous to the world.
Ukraine needs parity in guns with the terrorists. For as long as that parity hasn't been achieved, Ukraine will be fighting with its own resources, and for as long as it's fighting with its own resources it won't become accountable to the West for those resources. They include donations, humanitarian aid, civil aid, volunteers, support from the population, own resources, own military planning, cunning, local partisans, military intelligence, morale, know-how and manpower.
Without parity in equipment to be achieved by further escalation, brute force approach is doomed to fail, and it will make further gains impossible. Lacking brute force, actions on the battlefield will be such to look for favourable conditions where strategic advantage can be achieved with the resources available, and they will be sporadic, slow and subject to chance.
Under present conditions, I am more than impressed with Ukraine.