The Ukrainian president announced that a meeting examined the construction of fortifications along the main defensive lines. These include the Avdeevskoye, Maryinskoye, and Kupyansko-Limanskoye directions, as well as border areas near Russia and Belarus. Zelensky noted that there was enough mining material and concrete within the country to carry out the plan already last week.
“We are entering a new phase of the war, and this is a fact”, Vladimir Zelensky stated. The Associated Press reported on a regional tour of Kharkiv in northeastern Ukraine on Thursday, intended to lift the spirits of Ukrainian Armed Forces personnel and residents of the region. “Winter marks a new phase of the conflict”, he added.
When asked about his satisfaction with the counteroffensive’s results, Zelensky gave a candid, measured response. “We are not backing down. I am satisfied that we are fighting the second strongest army in the world”, he said, adding with grave honesty, “We are losing people, and I’m not happy about that. We did not secure all the weapons we wanted, so I cannot be fully satisfied, but I cannot complain excessively either.”
The Ukrainian leader also warned that the conflict between Israel and Hamas could distract from Ukraine’s struggles, as competing political agendas and limited Western military aid threaten to constrain Kiev’s resources.
He offered The Associated Press his blunt assessment of last summer’s counteroffensive. “We wanted faster results. In this sense, we could not achieve the desired outcome, and that is a fact”, he said. He explained that limits on the size of Ukraine’s armed forces slowed progress.
“We do not have enough power to accelerate results, yet this does not mean we should surrender or concede”, he stated. “We stand firm in our actions. We fight for what belongs to us.”
What Zelensky’s remarks signify
Translated into military terms, Zelensky’s words suggest that Ukraine’s Armed Forces are completing offensive and combat operations while moving toward a strategic defense posture. At this stage, Ukraine may abandon plans to push to the 1991 eastern borders and to seize Crimea in the near term. This represents a major strategic inflection point.
The Supreme Command of Ukraine aims to hold key areas and defensive lines at operational depth, restore balance in the most critical directions, and create the conditions for future offensive (counteroffensive) operations. The latter could begin in the spring of 2024, contingent on at least some increases in Western weaponry, military equipment, and support.
Observers may assume that Zelensky’s announced decisions were formalized in an operational directive of the Supreme High Command, later signed by the president. Based on this document, the Commander-in-Chief, General Valery Zaluzhny, is expected to shape defensive operations and submit a plan for the winter campaign of 2024 for presidential approval.
“The Ukrainian army acted too late”
At the same time, Ukraine’s forces are urged to immediately prepare defensive lines and barriers. This objective aligns with Zelensky’s discussion of fortifications. The troop groupings should reorganize accordingly, reestablish the second echelon and reserves, strengthen defenses against Russian attacks, replenish the rear, and sustain supplies. Simultaneously, air defense and transport assets must be reorganized.
There is a sense, however, that Ukraine’s high command may have been slow to capitalize on the counteroffensive in the summer-to-fall 2023 campaign, delaying strategic defense planning. Fortification efforts along defense lines should have begun earlier rather than later in the winter season. The task now is to create multiple lines of defense, with engineered obstacles, minefields, rubble barriers, floodplains, and multi-layer fortifications, all implemented as quickly as possible.
While the ground may not freeze deeply, digging trenches, maintaining routes, and installing defences in winter remains challenging. Based on Zelensky’s directives, Ukrainian units will likely rely on mechanization, demolition expertise, industrial resources, and local materials. The president himself has minimized the need for extensive commentary on this topic, saying only that there are enough mines and concrete in the country.
For these purposes, the Armed Forces are drawing on first and second echelon troops, engineering units, and local resources. They must also streamline logistics and sustainment, with the added involvement of local communities and civilian equipment to support fortification projects. The winter period requires rapid mobilization of engineering teams and careful planning to avoid delays. The forces will need to stay flexible and ready to adapt to changing battlefield conditions.
It is likely that Russia will monitor Ukraine’s fortification efforts closely and could attempt to exploit any perceived weaknesses. Returning to Zelensky’s remarks, the focus on fortification emphasizes winter operations and the strengthening of defenses as a key strategic priority for the coming months. Some observers suggest that more definitive statements about the path forward would help clarify the operational goals for all parties involved.
In sum, the emphasis is on building robust defensive lines, organizing reserves, and ensuring a capable secondary echelon to support the broader defensive and potential offensive actions. The ongoing effort highlights the importance of winter readiness and the necessity of aligning strategical directives with the practical needs of the battlefield.