War in Ukraine: Zelenskyj orders counteroffensive

Ukrainian President Zelenskyy has ordered the armed forces to expel Russian troops from the south of the country. The occupied coastal areas are vital for Ukraine’s survival.

President Zelenskyy has ordered Ukrainian forces to recapture the occupied coastal areas in the south. Defense Minister Oleksiy Reznikov told the British Sunday Times. According to this, Ukraine is setting up a million-strong force for the operation and equipping it with Western weapons.

President Zelenskyy gave the order to the military leadership to develop a plan for a counteroffensive. Nothing else is known yet. The occupied coastal areas are vital for Ukraine’s economy. There are many ports that Russia is currently either occupying or blockading. This prevents the export of grain, among other things.

civilians called to flee

Deputy Prime Minister of Ukraine Iryna Vereshchuk has called on people to leave the Russian-held areas in the south of the country. Women and children must not become human shields. But the enemy must be destroyed, Vereshchuk said. They expect artillery fire and therefore called for an urgent evacuation.

Criticism of Kiev’s military course

Meanwhile, Ukrainian journalist and military expert Yuriy Butuzov has criticized the operation that has resulted in the loss of the cities of Lysychansk and Severodonetsk. Politicians who have interfered in military affairs are to blame for this. Therefore, the military could not react appropriately to the changed situation.

The troops had not received sufficient reinforcements in advance and could not be replaced. Some units had been in combat for months. The reinforcements had reached the troops too late and tactical mistakes had been made. Butuzov is known in Ukraine as a critic of President Zelenskyy.