Our counterattack will take time and the mines will slow us down

Less than a month after its launch, Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Schmygal warned today, Thursday, that… counterattack For his country against Russia “it will take time” but he expressed “optimism” about its success.

Schmigal said on the sidelines of a conference for the reconstruction of Ukraine in London, that his country will carry out very smart offensive operations, noting that this counterattack will take time.

He also continued that Kiev intends to move forward, pointing out that he is completely optimistic about the liberation of all the lands of Ukraine occupied by the Russians.

In addition, he indicated that the counterattack “is a number of military operations. Sometimes they are offensive and other times defensive.”

According to Schmigal, the Russians were also preparing during Kiev’s preparation for its attack, and that is why there are many minefields, which makes movement slower, as he put it.

Earlier this month, the Ukrainian military launched a counter-offensive aimed at retaking territory occupied by Russian forces for Ukrainian forces.

Slow progress

On Wednesday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky admitted in an interview with the BBC that progress on the battlefield was “slower than we would like”.

But he added, “Some people think this is a Hollywood movie and are now expecting results. It’s not like that.”

Zelensky responded with emotion to statements by Russian President Vladimir Putin, in which he indicated that Ukraine is in the grip of “neo-Nazis” who persecute Russian speakers, and described his Ukrainian counterpart as “a disgrace to the Jews.”

Ukrainian tank near Bakhmut (AP)

“It seems like he doesn’t really understand what he’s saying,” Zelensky said. “Sorry, but it’s like he’s the second king of anti-Semitism after Hitler,” adding, “He’s a president who speaks… In a civilized world, you can’t talk like that.”

Russian bombing

It is noteworthy that Russia launched cruise and ballistic missiles and drones at targets in Ukraine in the early hours of Thursday, causing damage to the cities of Odessa and Kryvyi Rih.

Russia has launched long-range missiles and drone strikes since October, stepping up its strikes in May as Ukraine prepared to launch its own counter-offensive.