Ukraine's top intelligence official has announced plans for intensified offensives on Russian-occupied territory in Crimea, citing the perceived weakness of the Russian military.
Kyrylo Budanov, Chief of the Ukrainian Ministry of Defense's Main Directorate of Intelligence, stated that 2024 will witness a significant push to reclaim Crimea.
"In 2023, the first Ukrainian incursions took place in temporarily occupied Crimea," Budanov revealed in an interview with French publication Le Monde. "And this is just the beginning."
Budanov acknowledged the entrenched positions of both countries, making substantial territorial gains difficult. He attributed this stalemate to the extensive use of attack drones, rendering offensives by both Russian and Ukrainian forces impossible. Additionally, the density of minefields, unparalleled since World War II, has further contributed to the impasse.
The spy chief also cast doubt on the strength of the Russian military, asserting that the Ukrainian defense forces' resilience has exposed the Russian Armed Forces as less effective than previously believed.
"A certain Russian paradox surprised me. Everyone thought that Moscow had a strong army and a weak economy. It turns out that the opposite is true," Budanov remarked.
He continued, "The economy may be weak, but the country is not starving, far from it. It could even last quite a long time at this rate."
Meanwhile, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has rejected the idea of a cease-fire with Russia, arguing that it would only serve to strengthen the invading military. Zelenskyy made these remarks during a visit to Estonia, where he sought support for continued funding of the war effort.
"A pause on the Ukrainian battlefield will not mean a pause in the war," Zelenskyy emphasized.
"A pause would play into [Russia's] hands," he added. "It might crush us afterward."
As Ukraine gears up for more intense offensives in Crimea, the situation remains tense, with no immediate resolution in sight.
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