Two political analysts, one in Ukraine and the other in Germany, have been monitoring for “Sky News Arabia” what they see as clues to the start of the Ukrainian offensive, or what has been called the “battle spring”, the preparations for which Kiev has announced for months and its objective is to return the lands annexed by Russia during the war which has lasted since February 2022.
Arms Collection Tour
After leaving Germany, Zelenskyy held talks in Paris, whom he described as a “true friend” and a “reliable ally”, as Berlin announced that his country would hand over weapons worth 2 .7 billion euros to support him in the counter-attack.
The Ukrainian president’s visit to Germany is the first since the start of the war, and it comes a day after his visits to Rome and the Vatican.
Ukrainian academic and political analyst Khalil Azima monitors the tour’s goals:
Mobilization of material and military support for the country in parallel with the launch of the counterattack, partly from eastern Ukraine. Obtain the necessary equipment and ammunition to carry out the “all-out counterattack”, arguing that Ukraine is not only defending itself but all of Europe. Emphasis on the European role in the reconstruction of Ukraine after the war.
Zelenskyy told reporters in Rome that the counteroffensive “will start soon”, adding that “Ukrainian forces are seriously preparing”.
A senior US military official revealed to CNN a few days ago that Ukrainian forces began “training” operations ahead of the counterattack, and that the training includes hard-hitting targets such as arms depots and military centers. of command; To prepare the battlefield before advancing troops.
“already started”
Germany-based political expert Nabil Shabib confirms that the counterattack “has already begun”.
Among the indicators of this, he said, is Germany’s shift in stance announcing increased military support for Ukraine at this time.
He traces this change by saying:
Germany had no direct interest in the Ukrainian counterattack, but it is under American pressure, even if the deterioration of its relations with Russia will be to the detriment of its economic interests. Germany’s support for Ukraine has arisen out of a “balancing of interests” with Washington, in addition to its growing fears that Russian influence could expand in Eastern Europe if Moscow wins the war.
On Saturday, Berlin announced that it would supply Kiev with 30 Leopard 1 tanks, armored vehicles, drones, air defense systems, missiles and ammunition.
“a long war”
Khalil Azima believes that “the West will provide Kiev with advanced combat aircraft after requesting them from Italy and Germany”, but that “it is too early to say that the counterattack will quickly reach her goals”.
His prediction is based on the fact that “it is in Washington’s interest to prolong the war in order to bleed Russia and impose more hegemony on Europe”.
Successive violent blows
Ukraine and Russia announced that they had inflicted severe blows on each other in the last hours.
For its part, the Russian Ministry of Defense announced in a press release on Sunday that two military commanders had been killed during the fighting in Ukraine, namely Colonels Vyacheslav Makarov and Yevgeny.
Russian newspaper ‘Kommersant’ reported on Saturday that Ukraine shot down two ‘Sukhoi-34’ and ‘Sukhoi-35’ fighters, and two ‘Mi-8’ helicopters, which were on a mission to launch an attack on Chernihiv in Ukraine. .
On the other hand, the Russian Ministry of Defense announced the elimination of about a thousand Ukrainian soldiers in the last 24 hours during strikes with long-range air and sea weapons on points of deployment of Ukrainian forces, ammunition, weapons and other depots in Dnipropetrovsk.
Read the Latest World News Today on The Eastern Herald.
