Recent successes of Russian forces on the battlefield are only tactical and did not lead to the creation of an operational advantage, Ukrainian Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Sirsky said in an interview with the British "Guardian", BTA reported.
Russia plans to send 690,000 troops to Ukraine by the end of the year, he added. In terms of equipment, Russian forces have a 1:2 or 1:3 advantage, and since 2022 the number of Russian tanks has doubled from 1,700 to 3,500. Artillery systems have tripled and armored personnel carriers have increased from 4500 to 8900.
„The adversary has a significant advantage in terms of forces and resources”, Sirski emphasizes. “That is why for us the question of supply, the question of quality, is really in the foreground.“ But despite this, Russia's successes come at a huge cost in manpower. Russian commanders are notorious for sacrificing huge numbers of infantry to gain “100-200 meters” - a tactic that the Ukrainian forces are not ready for.
„It is very important for us to save the lives of our soldiers. "We don't defend ruins to the death," Sirski said. He stated that he did not want to “achieve goals at any cost“ or throw his people into “useless meat grinders”. Sometimes it was necessary to take “more favorable positions”.
However, according to Sirsky, the return of the occupied Crimean peninsula is a completely realistic goal. "Of course, this is a big military secret," Sirski said. “We will do everything possible to reach the internationally recognized borders of 1991. We must win to free our citizens in the occupied territories who are suffering,”, he stressed.