:quality(70)/cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/mentormedier/PEI24OKCSZA2PETA53FDQYPVA4.jpg "Former Adviser to Ukrainian President Criticizes Zelensky and Defense Leadership")
Oleksiy Arestovych, former adviser to Ukrainian President Zelensky, directs harsh criticism at his old boss and the country’s defense leadership.
– They are not telling the truth. The borders from before the war will not be restored, and Crimea will not belong to Ukraine again in the near future, writes Arestovych on Twitter/X. The Express and The Telegraph has also mentioned the matter.
After several months of waiting, in June Ukraine launched its long-announced counter-offensive against the Russian occupation forces. Several Western commentators previously believed that progress was slow, but Ukraine has dismissed criticism from those who believed that the country has not achieved good enough results quickly enough.
Thinks Bakhmut’s move was a mistake
Oleksiy Arestovych left his position as adviser to Zelenskyi in January this year. The reason is said to have been disagreements about how effective Ukraine’s air defense is, Expressen writes.
The ex-advisor points to what he believes to be “strategic mistakes” and “a wasted opportunity” in Ukraine’s counter-offensive. He believes Ukraine should have concentrated on breaking through the front lines in the south and strengthening the defensive, rather than being drawn into costly battles in Bakhmut in the east and the surrounding areas, according to The Telegraph.
– We are at an impasse now. Russia can’t beat us, and we can’t beat them, Arestovych claims, according to the newspaper.
According to The Telegraph, the Ukrainian prosecutor’s office recently opened a case against the ex-advisor. He is said to have made statements which allegedly incite violence against women. Arestovych has vehemently denied the accusations.
Russia expert: – He said the opposite before
Tor Bukkvoll does not agree with Zelenskyi’s ex-advisor on Ukraine’s counter-offensive.
– I think that Arestovych said roughly the opposite before, and that it therefore tastes a bit like revenge because he is no longer in a position. He is probably right that there have been many misjudgments – war is not easy – but it would be wrong to say that the counter-offensive has failed, says Bukkvoll to Dagsavisen.
He is chief researcher at the Norwegian Defense Research Institute (FFI), and has published a number of studies of Russian and Ukrainian defense and security policy in both book, report and article form.
– It hasn’t gone as well as hoped for, it doesn’t happen that often in war, but already now the Russian military power is clearly further weakened as a result of the counter-offensive. This makes it more likely that Ukraine can retake occupied territories later. How wise it was to go towards Bakhmut, at the same time as advancing in the south, will probably only become apparent later, believes Bukkvoll.
To Dagsavisen, Bukkvoll has previously pointed out what are the three main directions of the counter-offensive:
Straight south from Zaporizhzhya towards Melitopol. One that more or less runs along the old border between the counties of Donetsk and Zaporizhzhya. In the Bakhmut area in eastern Ukraine.
[ Ekspert om Putins nye grep: – Det er en dyr krig. Meget dyr ]
Doubts Putin claim
It is now over 600 days since Russia’s invasion began. Vladimir Putin claimed on Sunday that Russian forces are making progress along large parts of the front in Ukraine. Russia’s president refers to it as “active defense”.
– This applies to areas near Kupjansk, Zaporizhzhya and Avdijivka, Putin said, according to NTB.
The areas are located in eastern Ukraine. In particular, there have been fierce battles in Avdijivka in recent days as a result of a Russian offensive.
However, Russia expert Tor Bukkvoll has little faith in the veracity of Putin’s plot.
– Well, that’s not true. Of course, we do not know everything that happens at the front all the time, but from what we see from videos and information, it does not appear that Russia has made progress in Ukraine, says the FFI researcher.
[ Medvedev: – Idiotene presser oss mot tredje verdenskrig ]
Ukraine advantage?
– It is true that Putin started some kind of offensive a week or two ago, which was actually quite surprising. Because there has not been a mobilization, so Russia doesn’t really have the crews to do it, he explains.
One would think that tactically it was better to sit still and let the Ukrainians wear themselves out, believes Bukkvoll.
– So on the Ukrainian side, there are more people who think this is just an advantage, because Russia is “using up” forces they don’t really have, he concludes.
Read more about the war in Ukraine here
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2023-10-17 12:48:42
#Calls #Zelenskyjs #counteroffensive #disaster #tastes #revenge
