From the point of view of Wagner boss Prigozhin, the Ukrainian spring offensive has already begun. The army of Ukraine is extremely active – also beyond the front.
Moscow/Kiev – Just a few days ago, Wagner boss Yevgeny Prigozhin warned that the Ukrainian counter-offensive could turn into a tragedy for Russia. Now he is certain: Ukraine has started its long-awaited spring offensive. In a message published on Telegram, the head of the mercenary army spoke of the “highest level of activity” by the Ukrainian army – even beyond the Russian border.
Wagner boss Prigozhin: Ukrainian counter-offensive has begun
“I believe that the offensive of the Ukrainian army has already begun,” Prigozhin wrote Telegram. “We see the highest activity of enemy aviation, we see its highest activity on the periphery and inside our front”. For weeks, the head of the Wagner army has feared that a major Ukrainian spring offensive would soon begin. He repeatedly criticized the lack of ammunition in his army and the general approach of the Russian military leadership in the Ukraine war.
According to Prigoschin, the Ukrainian army is also active beyond the borders of Ukraine – i.e. in Russia. “We see the situation in our different areas – trains, drones and so on. So I think it’s already started.” The Wagner boss is probably referring to freight trains that derailed after explosions on Monday and Tuesday (May 1 and 2) in the Bryansk region in the Russian border area, as well as the destruction of a fuel tank near Sevastopol by a suspected Ukrainian drone attack.
The Attacks that have been increasing for days, are interpreted as preparation for a Ukrainian counter-offensive – supply lines of the Russian army are apparently to be destroyed. Prigozhin is certain: the Ukrainian counter-offensive will soon enter an “active phase”: “I think in the near future, maybe in a few days,” said the Wagner boss.
Experts expect the Ukrainian counter-offensive to begin soon
Experts have been discussing this for weeks Timing of the start of the counteroffensive Of Ukraine. The Ukrainian attacks on Russian infrastructure are a strong sign that the Ukrainian spring offensive will start soon, says Gerhard Mangott, Professor of International Relations at the University of Innsbruck in a recent interview with the Editorial Network Germany (RND). “The explosions on the rail networks, the attacks on fuel depots are preparations for the offensive,” said the expert on the post-Soviet space.
The Russian military infrastructure should be destroyed in a targeted manner and the defense capability weakened. “It is undoubtedly the imminent start of the counter-offensive, which could well start in the next two weeks,” said Mangott. As a next step, the Ukrainian army would then cross the front line. “This would be done with the use of all weapons available to Ukraine, from battle tanks to heavy artillery and fighter jets,” the expert estimates.
Carlo Masala, military expert and professor of international politics at the Bundeswehr University in Munich, also expects the Ukrainian army to launch an offensive soon. The Ukrainians lost time due to the late delivery of the Western battle tanks. And this gave Russia the opportunity to massively expand its defense positions, he said Berlin morning post. However, the weather conditions now made an attack likely: “Now we are entering a phase in which the ground in the Ukraine is once again passable. The counter-offensive should be expected in the next few weeks,” said Masala. (kasa)