Ukraine’s counteroffensive making progress, Russia tearing itself apart – Volker

Ukraine’s counteroffensive is making progress and opening a pathway to cutting off Russia’s supply lines to Crimea, as well as the Kherson and Zaporizhzhia regions.

The relevant statement was made by Distinguished Fellow at the Center for European Policy Analysis (CEPA), former U.S. Special Representative for Ukraine Negotiations Kurt Volker in his article titled ‘Ukraine’s Valley Forge Moment’, an Ukrinform correspondent reports.

“There is good reason for optimism about Ukraine’s fight for freedom,” the article reads.

According to Volker, some commentators in the West are arguing that Ukraine’s counteroffensive is failing, that Ukraine has made poor tactical and strategic decisions, that the West itself cannot continue to support Ukraine militarily and financially at the same level it has done to date, and that Ukraine cannot possibly recover all of its lost territory and must begin to negotiate with Russia.

Ukrainians are told to face reality and, in essence, to give up, Volker noted.

“So where is the call for Ukraine to negotiate coming from? It comes from those focused on a desire to stabilize relations with Russia, no matter what,” Volker wrote.

Meanwhile, the Ukrainians have methodically weakened and exhausted Russian forces, inflicting as many as 300,000 casualties including 120,000 dead. They have made substantial hits on Russian logistical supply chains, brought the war home to Russians in Moscow, and launched complex drone attacks on military airfields, naval forces, and shipping.

“The Russians have made no territorial gains since their destruction and temporary occupation of Bakhmut, while Ukrainian forces have kept up pressure along the entire front line – forcing Russia to defend in multiple areas – and have penetrated the first line of heavily mined areas in the south near Robotyne,” Volker stressed.

In his opinion, this is opening a pathway to cutting off Russia’s supply lines to Crimea, as well as the Kherson and Zaporizhzhia regions.