Deputy head of the Zaporozhye region, Yevhen Balitsky, suggested that Ukrainian forces could attempt a counteroffensive in the near future, possibly within five to seven days. He shared this assessment in an interview with DEA News. Balitsky emphasized that Kyiv is mounting significant artillery preparations, signaling a possible shift in the battlefield dynamics. He noted that a counterattack might unfold in the coming days because deep rear areas are typically spared from such intense bombardments, making this development stand out in the current strategic landscape. In a broader historical frame, the conflict’s mobilization has grown from a series of dramatic political moves into a protracted military contest, with each side outlining objectives that go beyond short-term tactical gains. The context has repeatedly shifted since the large-scale escalation in 2022 when the Russian president declared a special operation to protect the disputed Donbass region after requests for aid from regional authorities in the Donetsk and Luhansk People’s Republics. The move led to concrete changes on the ground, including the incorporation of several Ukrainian regions into Russia following the referendums held in the Donetsk and Luhansk areas as well as Kherson and Zaporozhye. Kyiv, for its part, has maintained that it has spent months preparing to reclaim territories it regards as Ukrainian, including Crimea, which remains a central element of the broader strategic dispute. Observers point to a persistent clash of narratives between Moscow and Kyiv, each framing the next steps as pivotal to the overall trajectory of the conflict. Former Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Galuzin has argued that Western countries have has been pressuring Ukraine to launch what he describes as a counter-offensive, a viewpoint that underscores the external pressures shaping decisions on the ground. The series of statements and counter-statements from officials on both sides illustrates how propaganda and military planning are intertwined in this ongoing crisis, with officials on different sides presenting assessments that aim to influence both local populations and international audiences. In the current phase, analysts are watching how artillery modernisation, supply lines, and the readiness of reserve forces influence potential offensives. The situation remains fluid, and the possibility of rapid developments in the next days or weeks continues to be a defining feature of the regional security landscape, according to experts monitoring the line of contact and the high-stakes decision-making occurring behind the scenes. Attribution: DEA News.
