Russia getting ready for next offensive actions – Maliar

All signs suggest that Russia is getting ready for further offensive actions, Deputy Defense Minister Hanna Maliar has said.

"If you follow the news, it seems that the intensity of advance is reduced, the intensity of active actions is reduced, but in fact Russia uses this time to relocate, reset its forces to replenish personnel, to solve problems with logistics, to replenish equipment that the Ukrainian Armed Forces destroyed in large numbers. Therefore, there are really signs that they are getting ready for the next assault," Maliar said during a nationwide telethon broadcast on Ukrainian TV channels, Ukrinform correspondent reports.

She noted that Russian military are now looking for different ways to replenish personnel, because they have suffered huge losses, and they do not have enough personnel to carry out further escalation and advancement through the territory of Ukraine. Therefore, according to her, they are negotiating with different countries on aid and mercenaries.

Maliar also added that Russia does not abandon its plans, which were as follows: the seizure of Kyiv, full political control over Ukraine; entrenchment on the geographical borders of Donetsk and Luhansk regions, ie to go beyond the temporarily occupied territories, entrenchment on the Southern border. "As for the Belarusian direction, there is also a threat from there," said Maliar.

On February 24, Russian President Vladimir Putin announced the beginning of a full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Russian troops have been shelling and destroying key infrastructure facilities, conducting massive shelling of residential areas of Ukrainian cities and villages using artillery, multiple rocket launchers and ballistic missiles.

Martial law was imposed in Ukraine and general mobilization was announced.

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