Kyiv: Ukraine prepares strike force for counteroffensive as front lines stabilize
Ukraine is planning to create a strike force for a counteroffensive campaign within this year. The current task for the Ukrainian military is to stabilize the front line, maximize the destruction of enemy forces, and seize the initiative, said the Commander of the Ground Forces of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, Oleksandr Pavlyuk, during a national news broadcast.
According to the general, the troops needing recuperation will be reorganized to form the necessary group for future counter-attacks.
The Commander also spoke of Russia’s attempts to capture as much territory as possible ahead of what is termed as Putin's "re-election" in Russia, with all forces being thrown into this effort.
The front line's hotspots remain in the Avdiivka area, Chasiv Yar, and the direction of Terny towards Lyman. In all these directions, the Ukrainian Armed Forces (AFU) are holding a firm defense, inflicting heavy losses on the opponent, highlighted the general.
In January, the head of Ukraine’s Military Intelligence Service, Kyrylo Budanov, reported that a new Ukrainian counter-offensive would begin in the spring. He predicted that the current Russian offensive would run out of steam around March, after which the Ukrainian Forces would start their own operation.
Meanwhile, media speculate that the implementation of the European plan to supply Ukraine with 800,000 artillery rounds will enable Ukraine to transition to planning its counter-offensive by summer. Thanks to these supplies, the AFU will be capable of using up to 6,000 shells a day on the battlefield.