Zelensky: Counteroffensive might be progressing slower than someone would like but Ukraine retains initiative

President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine notes that the ongoing counteroffensive is probably developing more slowly than some would like, while the initiative remains in the hands of Ukraine’s Armed Forces.

That’s according to an interview with Latin American journalists, Ukrinform reports.

"A counteroffensive is complicated and it’s developing, probably, more slowly than anyone would like. But these are secondary issues because there are many various complications. A counteroffensive is when our Army advances and does not retreat. And here the initiative is in the hands of Ukraine," the president said.

He noted that it is really difficult to fight for as long as Ukraine is fighting, and even more so when Ukraine experiences a shortage of certain weapons. "But I know for sure that it is more difficult for the Russians. Our people have fatigue in their eyes, but in their eyes there’s fear. We will have to endure if we want to win. And we do," he said.

At the same time, Zelensky noted that Russia, unlike Ukraine, could end the war much faster, without unnecessary casualties. "They might not be thinking about our people so let it think only about their own. They can simply withdraw from our territory because Ukraine is not going to continue the war on the territory of the Russian Federation. This was never our goal. We are simply de-occupying our territories," the president emphasized.

According to Zelensky, “the Russians have somewhere to return to but the Ukrainians don’t, they have somewhere to go when leaving our territory but we don’t because this is our only land.”

As reported, the UK Minister of State for the Armed Forces, James Hippie, believes that the Ukrainian counteroffensive is developing in accordance with the plan drawn up by Ukraine together with the United States and Britain.