Ukrainian counteroffensive exceeds expectations, but Russia may attack again – Defence Minister

OLENA ROSHCHINA — TUESDAY, 13 SEPTEMBER 2022, 11:20

Oleksii Reznikov, Minister of Defence of Ukraine, said Kyiv's lightning offensive had gone much "better than expected", but Ukraine needs to secure the vast territory it has recaptured from a possible Russian counterattack.

Source: Financial Times

Quote from Reznikov: "A counter-offensive liberates territory and after that you have to control it and be ready to defend it. Of course, we have to be worried, this war has worried us for years."

Details: Reznikov also told the FT that the Armed Forces of Ukraine had defeated Kremlin forces and regained 3,000 sq km of Ukrainian territory, and Russia responded by striking infrastructure and cutting off electricity in populated areas in various oblasts of Ukraine.

The Ukrainian blitzkrieg, which Reznikov described as a "snowball rolling down a hill", is Russia's biggest setback since the full-scale invasion launched by its president, Vladimir Putin, on 24 February.

The Defence Minister said Ukrainian troops were tired after the six-day attack, but their morale was high because "it’s a sign that Russia can be defeated".

He cautioned that Russian reinforcements could launch a counter-attack on his country’s stretched supply lines and Ukrainian forces could also be encircled by fresh Russian troops if they advanced too far.

Reznikov explained that the Ukrainian counteroffensive in Kherson Oblast is progressing more slowly than in Kharkiv Oblast, saying that Kherson Oblast is an agricultural region and the Russians could use "irrigation channels" as defensive trenches.

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