Ukraine’s Counteroffensive: Lowering Expectations
Ukraine’s top officials are trying to lower expectations for their counteroffensive operation. In an interview with the Washington Post, Defence Minister Oleksii Reznikov said that “expectations of our counteroffensive operation are overestimated in the world”. He fears that this could lead to “emotional disappointment”.
The buildup ahead of the assault has left Ukrainian officials grappling with a difficult question: What outcome will be enough to impress the West? Some fear that if the Ukrainians fall short, Kyiv may lose international military assistance or face new pressure to engage with Moscow at a negotiating table.
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy believes that the more victories Ukraine has on the battlefield, the more people will believe in them and provide help. However, he cannot say what the scale of success would be. Ukrainian officials continue to demand additional weapons from their supporters in the West.
Reznikov has revealed that Ukraine’s “first assault unit” is more than 90% ready for the start of the operation. Zelenskyy will consider the liberation of any Ukrainian territory a success. Ideally, a counteroffensive would not only liberate villages and towns but also cut the logistic chains of Russian troops and reduce their offensive capability.