Ukraine to create 10 new brigades to prepare for new Russian offensive

Oleksandr Pavliuk, Commander of the Ground Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, has said that Ukraine plans to create ten new brigades to prepare for a Russian offensive. Some of them will be formed for the potential defence of Kyiv. 

Source: Pavliuk in an interview with The Economist 

Details: The Economist notes that one of the most urgent tasks facing Pavliuk is the creation of ten new brigades to prepare for a Russian offensive. 

Pavliuk insists that Ukraine needs more equipment than people. In particular, there is a significant shortage of artillery and armoured vehicles, which he hopes the West will provide Ukraine with. 

Also, part of these new forces (10 brigades - ed.) will be deployed to defend Kyiv. 

The general said that two and a half years after the Russian army was blocked in Kyiv, it had not given up its ambition to finally capture the city. 

Quote from Pavliuk: "Defending Kyiv remains one of our main concerns, no matter how tough it is in the east. It is the heart of Ukraine, and we know the key role defence of the capital will play in the future." 

Details: He said that the Russian army can no longer conduct large-scale raids on several fronts. 

In addition, Russia is using missiles that have just come off the assembly line, just a few weeks after production, rather than from its once huge stockpile. Ukraine's Armed Forces are also much larger than they used to be. 

This, Pavliuk notes, remains a strategic defeat for Russia. 

According to Ukraine's official estimate, Russia has lost more than 400,000 killed, captured and wounded. The loss of so many soldiers "to seize a small part of one region is disproportionate for any rational mind". 

The Ground Forces Commander believes that in unpopular issues such as mobilisation, every official must show leadership. 

Faced with mortal danger, some citizens panic, and this is natural, but if the country wants to survive, people must "overcome the panic" and answer the call to fight, as they do in countries like Israel: "However hard it is, we have no other choice."

Background:

• In an interview with The Times, Oleksandr Pavliuk confirmed that, based on Ukrainian intelligence, Russia does indeed have a plan for the possible capture of Kharkiv and Sumy.
• In an interview with The Economist, Vadym Skibitskyi, Deputy Head of Defence Intelligence of Ukraine, also suggested that Russia is preparing for an offensive in Kharkiv and Sumy Oblasts in Ukraine's north-east. He said that the timing of this depends on the strength of the Ukrainian defences in Donbas. But he suggests that the main Russian offensive will begin "in late May or early June". 
• Oleksandr Pavliuk said that Russia is creating a new grouping of more than 100,000 troops, and it is possible that Russia will try to launch an offensive in one of the areas in the summer. 

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