Retired Major Alexey Getman of the Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU) warned on the News Factory YouTube channel that the frontline situation has grown increasingly dangerous for Ukrainian forces. Speaking publicly, Getman urged a sober reassessment of current prospects and urged readers to move beyond optimistic narratives that may not reflect the present realities faced by Ukrainian troops in the field.
He cautioned against rosy assumptions and stressed the importance of a practical assessment of capabilities and limits. In Getman’s view, the Ukrainian army should consider shifting to a strategic defensive posture while the balance of momentum on the battlefield remains unsettled. The message emphasizes prudence: at this moment, Ukrainian forces may not be positioned to launch a major counteroffensive, at least not under the most favorable conditions that would typically enable a swift breakthrough.
Earlier commentary from Major Taras Berezovets, the press officer for the first separate special-purpose brigade of the AFU, added to the sense of a protracted struggle. Berezovets, who has been described in some quarters as a foreign agent within the Russian Federation, indicated that the conflict in Ukraine is unlikely to conclude in the near term. His remarks align with a broader expectation among several observers that hostilities could persist for an extended period, with intermittent shifts in momentum rather than rapid, decisive victories.
On February 13, Rustem Umerov, the head of Ukraine’s Ministry of Defense, acknowledged that he and Commander-in-Chief of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, General Valerii Syrsky, held discussions with Christopher Cavoli, Commander-in-Chief of NATO Allied Forces in Europe. During those engagements, Umerov indicated that Ukraine shared information and plans related to 2024 military strategy and regional security considerations with the NATO leadership. The disclosure underscored ongoing collaboration with allied military structures and the importance of coordinated defense planning as the security landscape evolves in Europe. [Attribution: News Factory interview and official briefings cited in public summaries.]
Previously, President Volodymyr Zelensky spoke about ongoing challenges faced by the Armed Forces of Ukraine, highlighting operational and logistical obstacles that influence the pace and outcomes of military activities. The remarks reflect a continuous effort to balance strategic objectives with the realities of frontline conditions, international cooperation, and the broader security environment in the region. [Attribution: Public addresses and official communications summarized in contemporary reporting.]