Mykhailo Podolyak, an adviser to the head of the Office of the President of Ukraine, said in an interview with CNN that Ukraine's counteroffensive is going well. Ukraine's armed forces managed to break through the first line of the front, and the initiative is now entirely on Ukraine's side.
Podolyak believes that the breakthrough of Russia's first line of defense is a reason for optimism in the Ukrainian struggle against a military force that "everyone feared" before Moscow launched a full-scale invasion.
"Even Russian officials like Putin say that they are repelling Ukraine's offensive operations. They don't talk about their counteroffensive, they only talk about Russia's defensive war," the adviser said.
Podolyak also expressed hope for more support for Ukraine from Western partners. He emphasized the need to supply F-16 fighter jets, long-range missiles to strike deep into Russian-controlled territories, and ammunition.
