Counteroffensive is developing according to plans – Commander of Ground Forces
Oleksandr Syrskyi, commander of the Ground Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, said that the counteroffensive is "going according to plan", and Oleksandr Tarnavskyi, commander of the operational and strategic group of troops Tavriia, said that Ukraine retains its potential.
Source: Oleksandr Syrskyi and Oleksandr Tarnavskyi in an interview for ABC News
Details: Syrskyi was interviewed after returning from Bakhmut and expressed confidence that Ukraine could liberate this city.
Syrskyi noted that none of the allies are pushing Ukraine with the counteroffensive, there is a desire of the military themselves to reach certain borders, but deciding this in a quiet place is one thing, and performing it "in conditions of fierce enemy resistance" is another.
Quote from Syrskyi: "We all want to achieve this result, but so far, everything is developing according to the plans that have been developed and approved. I would call it a natural process of achieving our victory without pressure or push from anyone [...].
It's a highly complex process... I can say that on our part, this is a struggle for the liberation of the territory of our state, and on the part of the enemy, it is a purely aggressive war. But it has become so harsh that this process is very complex and bloody.
We understand the truth is on our side, and we will win."
Details: According to Syrskyi, "the enemy suffers 8 or even 10 times more losses, especially in the number of dead servicemen."
ABC News reports that General Syrskyi oversees Ukrainian forces around Bakhmut and in the east, where Ukrainian troops have advanced on the southern flank this week.
For his part, General Tarnavskyi, who is leading the counteroffensive in the south, said the situation was "stable" and that Ukraine had not yet used "its full potential".
Both generals thanked the United States for its military support, noting that the armoured vehicles provided by the West changed the situation on the battlefield.
However, in the east and south, Ukrainian troops are facing huge minefields in Russian-occupied territory, and Russia is attacking equipment.
Quote from Tarnavsky: "This is a fierce confrontation with the enemy, who uses minefields and anti-tank weapons. They conduct large-scale air operations and launch air and missile strikes. The Russians are purposefully hitting Western equipment. They try to destroy as much equipment as possible. This is a priority for them."
Background: Ukrainian troops launched a counteroffensive a month ago, attacking several fronts using Western equipment. Ukraine managed to break through the Russian defence in two points, liberating a number of villages. But Western media reported that the counteroffensive was slower than expected.
In recent days, there have been signs of progress: the Ukrainian Defence Forces have moved around Bakhmut and created a small bridgehead on the Russian-held eastern bank of the Dnipro River opposite Kherson.
Ukrainian commanders and officials say the Defence Forces are trying to deplete Russian forces enough to create a breach for the main counteroffensive force to take advantage of. Ukraine has not yet deployed all of the brigades it has built up for the counteroffensive, nor weapons provided by Western allies.
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