Updated on 05/08/2023 05:16
The Ukrainian offensive to recapture Russian-occupied territories, which is expected at any time, should open the eyes of the people in Russia, according to the opinion in Kiev. And the world should know all the facts about Russia’s terror.
According to Ukrainian Deputy Defense Minister Volodymyr Havrylov, the expected offensive by the Ukrainian military to recapture occupied territories in the near future will “panic” Russia.
Russia’s propaganda gives the wrong picture of the situation
The Russians have still not understood that their propaganda gives them the wrong picture of the situation, Hawrylov said in an interview with the British newspaper The Independent on Sunday. “This war will be won on the ground, not on TV screens or on the internet.”
Havrylov did not want to name a point in time for the long-awaited offensive. “We will start our counteroffensive – when and where is not important at the moment.”
The Kremlin hid the truth about Russian losses in this war from its own people for a long time. However, the offensive will change that. “You can’t fool your own people for years, especially when they see a difference on the front lines, when they see the dead and the wounded, when they see the families who have lost their homes,” he said. “You cannot hide the death of your son, husband or brother.” Moscow will bear the consequences for this.
Havrylov saw the months of fighting for the eastern Ukrainian city of Bakhmut as evidence of the growing weakness of the Russian war machine. Russia will inevitably experience a disaster “sooner or later” with Bakhmut.
Zelenskyj: The world must know the truth about Russian terror
According to Zelensky, the world must know “all the facts of Russian terror” against the Ukrainians. “It is important that the world talks about what the terrorist state is doing and how we are protecting lives,” said Zelenskyy in his evening video address on Sunday. In this context, he spoke of the constant Russian artillery raids on Cherson or Kharkiv, as well as “terror against villages in the border areas of the Chernihiv and Sumy regions, hell in the Donetsk region”.
Russia’s most important goal is to destroy security, both in Ukraine and everywhere in Europe, everywhere in the free world, Zelenskyy said. “Destroying security, bringing death and chaos, that’s all a terrorist state does.”
Military spokeswoman: Russians are testing Ukrainian anti-aircraft defenses
The Russian military is using constantly changing tactics to find ways to bypass the Ukrainian anti-aircraft defenses. “They are trying to exhaust our anti-aircraft defenses and try to find a way to bypass them,” Natalya Humenyuk, spokeswoman for Ukraine’s Army Group South, said on national television on Sunday. “They use everything they have at their disposal.” Savings are only made with high-precision weapons.
The Russian military is using various missions to search for the locations of the Ukrainian anti-aircraft defenses. In addition, the frequent air raids and the activities of the Russian air force increased the psychological pressure on the Ukrainians and exhausted their defenses.
Ukraine’s anti-aircraft defenses are now armed with a number of the most modern Western weapon systems, including the US-made Patriot system and the German Iris-T.
Ukrainian general: situation on the Eastern Front “under control”
The situation on the Ukrainian eastern front is “tense, but under control,” according to the commander in charge there, Olexander Syrskyj. As the military leadership announced on Sunday, Syrskyj had gotten an idea of the situation in the operational areas the day before and discussed further steps with the responsible commanders. It was primarily about the defense of Bachmut and the plan to “inflict maximum damage” on the enemy units of the Wagner mercenary force.
According to Syrskyj, the Russian military has increased the intensity of heavy weapon fire in recent days, deployed more modern equipment and regrouped their troops. “This indicates that the enemy will not change their plans and will do everything possible to take control of Bakhmut and continue their offensive,” the commander of Ukraine’s Army Group East was quoted as saying.
Russian troops have been trying to capture Bakhmut for months. According to her account, they already control the city almost completely. The Ukrainian troops are putting up fierce resistance there in order to inflict as many losses as possible on their opponents.
Reports: Russian secret services stage demonstrations abroad
According to research by several media outlets, Russian secret services are infiltrating or staging demonstrations in major western cities for propaganda purposes.
This is intended to create sentiment against Ukraine or make Sweden’s NATO membership more difficult, the “Süddeutsche Zeitung” reported on Sunday, citing leaked documents that are said to come from the Kremlin’s security apparatus.
That will be important on Monday
With commemorative events and demonstrations in many places in Germany on Monday and Tuesday, the end of the Second World War in Europe in 1945 will be remembered. In Berlin, several rallies are planned at the Soviet memorials and at the Brandenburg Gate.
Police fear tensions over Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine. An initial ban on Ukrainian or Russian flags had been overturned by the court. (dpa/fte)