Ukraine is entering a new long-term phase of the war after the Russian Federation suffered a strategic defeat by May 9 and reduced the scale of its targets to the operational-tactical level, Defense Minister Oleksiy Reznikov notes.
"There is a strategic tipping point in favor of Ukraine. This process will last for some time. In the long term, these trends make Russia's defeat inevitable. At the same time, I want to emphasize the following. We have extremely difficult weeks ahead of us. No one will say exactly how many of them there will be. During this period we will hold the defense predominantly with our own forces against the aggressor enraged with rage," Reznikov wrote on Facebook.
According to him, more than 1.5 thousand Ukrainian troops are already learning or in the next few days will begin to master the equipment of Ukrainian partners to then return as instructors, some of them will go straight into battle.
"As long as heavy foreign weapons balance the forces and provide a turning point in favor of Ukraine, time will pass. Now the presence (of foreign weapons on the front in Ukraine) is spotty, this must be understood," the minister stressed.
According to Reznikov, Ukraine's leadership, diplomats and many other people are working around the clock to speed up and increase the flow of aid. "There are significant successes, but there are also difficulties," the head of the defense ministry said.
At the same time, he noted that "time goes indescribably long" and everyone remembers that Ukrainian soldiers on the front lines along the Seversky Donets, at Azovstal, in the captivity of the occupants die for Ukraine, and that Ukrainian citizens in the territories temporarily occupied by the enemy are in danger. "Therefore, we are doing everything possible and impossible to bring closer the liberation of our land," the minister stressed.
According to him, the growing sanctions pressure on Russia and the increase in foreign aid to Ukraine over the next few months should create conditions in which the Kremlin will finally lose any chance of success.
"Then there should be a new window of opportunity for Ukraine. We need unity, cohesion, will and patience in this super-tough period. Ukraine will win!", Reznikov concluded.
