Commander of Ground Forces predicts seizing initiative at contact line this year
Pravda Ukraine
Oleksandr Pavliuk, Commander of the Ground Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, has said that Ukraine will stabilise the contact line and begin preparing for counter-attack actions to seize the initiative.
Source: Lieutenant General Oleksandr Pavliuk on air during the national joint 24/7 newscast; Ukraine’s public broadcaster Suspilne
Details: Oleksandr Pavliuk says that the situation on the battlefield is difficult, but controlled. Russia is trying to occupy Ukrainian territory as much as possible and wants to do it before the presidential elections of the Russian Federation, which will be held in March, so “everything possible and impossible” is being used for the offensive.
Pavliuk noted that, according to the estimates of those killed and captured, it can be assumed that the Russians are throwing people who have just been mobilised to the contact line without any training. They are given only a small briefing and thrown into battle. All in order to seize the initiative.
Quote: “Our task is to stabilise the contact line, kill as much as possible, which is what we are doing, and regroup as much as possible to withdraw units that already need replenishment and recovery to the training grounds to create an attack group and conduct counter-attack operations this year. We are succeeding, and the situation is stabilising.”
Details: Pavliuk said that now there are still several hot spots where Russians are maximally concentrating their forces: this is Avdiivka, the area of Chasiv Yar and the area of Terny towards Lyman.
Quote: “There are very heavy battles there every day, but our guys are holding on. They are holding on quite confidently – the enemy’s losses are huge. I think that we will stabilise the situation soon and will do everything possible to prepare the troops to take more active actions and seize the initiative.”
Background:
- On 13 February, Oleksandr Syrskyi, Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, announced that Ukraine had moved from offensive actions to a defensive operation.
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