MP reveals what factors determine the counter-offensive of the Armed Forces

MP reveals what factors determine the counter-offensive of the Armed Forces

The People’s Deputy spoke about the reasons for significant delays in the supply of weapons as part of the already announced assistance packages: the availability of these weapons and their quality.

The possibility of a Ukrainian counteroffensive this year depends on many factors, in particular mobilization and the availability of weapons. Oleksandr Zavitnevych, a deputy from the Servant of the People, who heads the parliamentary committee on national security, defense and intelligence and is a reserve officer, said this in an interview with the BBC.

He was asked whether Ukraine was capable of launching another counteroffensive this year or next.

“This is a very difficult question. Are we capable of this? Depends on so many factors. This includes the law on mobilization and the staffing of our combat brigades. Many brigades have a shortage, I won’t say the percentage, they are different there, but there is a problem,” - Zavitnevych answered.

The second problem, according to the people’s deputy, concerns weapons.

“The package that we expected from our main partner, the United States, was significantly delayed. Moreover, it is important when the package is announced and when it actually arrives in Ukraine,” he emphasized.

According to Zavitnevych, during his last business trip to the United States, there was an appeal to colleagues - if packages are announced, then make sure that these weapons, which have already been announced, end up in Ukraine as quickly as possible.

“For some types of weapons it was (the delay - Ed.) more than a month, for some types it was two to three months. This greatly affects when we are planning some kind of military operations... We, of course, constantly raised this issue during our business trips .This time we simply noted that let’s make even more efforts.

As he said, the partners explained the delays by the availability of weapons and their quality.

“Because the same ammunition, you know, they are all checked, all the equipment is necessarily checked. And when the weapon is conditionally not ready, it needs to be looked at again, something needs to be repaired. There is a small part of new equipment, but for the most part it is equipment which was already in use,” the people’s deputy added.

According to him, last year a package was announced for some air defence systems, and when we went for an inspection and looked at the completeness, it turned out that without a certain machine the whole complex would not work, and this machine is not working now.

“But the package has already been announced. So, of course, everyone was looking for where to repair it, what to replace it with, but all this takes time. Therefore, we ask: we pay attention to this before announcing it - so that we understand when we will have it. This is what they ask for." Our military is very strong for the ability to plan defensive or offensive operations,” Zavitnevych said.

About his vision of the further development of events at the front, he said that he does not exclude the opening of a new front by the enemy.

“The situation is difficult every day, but in some areas, let’s say, more or less normal. There the defense line is not moving, we are not giving up positions. At the same time, in some other places we see constant aggravations. Can the enemy open a new front? So “Maybe we don’t rule it out. And we must always be prepared,” Zavitnevych emphasized.