Ukraine admits immediate success through its much-heralded counter-offensive is "virtually impossible"

MADRID, 18 Jul. (EUROPA PRESS) -

The commander of the Land Forces of the Ukrainian Army, General Alexander Sirski, has acknowledged that it is "practically impossible" to achieve immediate success in the much-heralded Ukrainian counteroffensive and that the mission's progress "is not going as fast" as they would have liked. .

"We would like to get very quick results, but in reality it is practically impossible," acknowledged the person in charge of supervising land operations in eastern Ukraine in an interview with the BBC.

After the much-announced offensive began approximately a month ago, Sirski has admitted that they are not going as fast as they had planned and points to the large number of mines and defensive barriers that Russian troops have managed to plant in large areas of the east as the main reason. and southern Ukraine.

However, he trusts that the "unity" of the Army and the "confidence" of the Ukrainian soldiers in victory during these almost seventeen months of fighting will make a difference in the future. "That is our strong point," he stressed.

On the other hand, he has underlined the need to regain control of Bakhmut, one of the most publicized scenes of this war, of great symbolism for both Russians and Ukrainians, despite the fact that various analyzes maintain that its military and strategic is inferior to that of other centers where battle is taking place.

For Sirski, winning Bakhmut is "a matter of honor", since they have lost many of their compatriots there. "We have to recover it (...) Our people are waiting for victories. They need small victories," he said.

According to the Kiev authorities, in recent months the situation in Bakhmut has radically changed and it is now the Ukrainian troops that are advancing to the detriment of the Russian forces, depleted after the tumultuous departure of the Wagner Group mercenaries.