Get clear results by anniversary
In an interview with Reuters, Oleksiy Danilov, secretary of the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine (NSDC), outlined Kiev’s expectations that Russia could renew pressure in the northeast Kharkiv region or the southern Zaporizhzhia area. He suggested Moscow would try to shift momentum in its long-running occupation and reassert the initiative.
Danilov noted that Russian forces are assessing Kiev’s defenses in the partially Russian-occupied Zaporizhzhia region, which forms part of a land bridge south of the Black Sea linking eastern Ukraine with Crimea. He did not rule out a fresh Russian offensive. In Kharkiv, a rapid Ukrainian counteroffensive last summer repelled Moscow’s forces, underscoring the contested nature of the front lines.
Danilov expressed confidence that offensive attempts would indeed occur in the Kharkiv or Zaporizhzhia directions. He stressed that the outcome would largely depend on Ukraine’s actions and readiness.
Senior Ukrainian officials, including President Volodymyr Zelensky, have warned that Moscow could mount another major offensive in the coming weeks, leveraging newly mobilized troops. Danilov reiterated Kyiv’s forecast that Russia remains determined to seize control of large portions of the Donetsk and Luhansk regions that Moscow has claimed as its own.
The NSDC secretary hopes that Russia will demonstrate tangible progress by the anniversary of the full-scale invasion on February 24, signaling to its public a capacity to deliver a decisive move on the battlefield. He noted that there is a strong desire to show a significant achievement similar to what has been seen so far.
Regarding rumors of a Belarus-based push in the northwest, Danilov described such speculation as suspicious, citing insufficient forces in that border area.
Attacks on Russia
Ukraine is planning a spring offensive once Western promises of battle tanks and longer-range missiles are fulfilled, including a new system from the United States that would extend the reach of Ukrainian strikes. The country faces a pressing need for heavily armored vehicles and artillery shells, especially 155 mm rounds, to counter a potential escalation in Russian firepower.
Danilov highlighted that ammunition supply remains a critical constraint. He remarked that having a weapon without ammunition would pose a serious challenge for Ukrainian forces. Recent months have seen Russian missiles and drones repeatedly targeting critical Ukrainian infrastructure.
He expressed confidence that Ukraine will retain the right to strike targets inside Russian territory if necessary, while Kyiv has not openly acknowledged carrying out cross-border attacks.
Danilov framed the conflict as a defensive necessity. He asked whether the world would stay silent while Russia targets Ukrainian cities, or if Ukraine should act decisively to neutralize threats. He characterized the situation as war and emphasized Kyiv’s willingness to respond to threats that jeopardize the country’s safety.
Attacks on “occupied territories” only
Ukraine’s defense leadership clarified that longer-range weapons promised by allies would be used to target Russian forces only on occupied Ukrainian lands. Official advisers echoed this stance, stressing that Kyiv does not attack the Russian mainland and that Western-supplied systems are deployed for defense, de-occupation, and the disruption of enemy supply lines. Longer-range missiles and air capability are viewed as essential to a strong counteroffensive by Ukrainian forces.
[Source: Reuters]