Richard Moore, head of British foreign intelligence service MI6, said the opportunity for a counterattack against the Ukrainian Armed Forces could open up in a matter of weeks, as Russian military personnel “will soon run out”.
“In the coming weeks, it will be more and more difficult for the Russians to maintain their staff and bring supplies. One way or another, they will have to take a break, and this will give the Ukrainians the opportunity to take a step back, ”the statement said.
“To them [украинцев] morale is still high and they are starting to get more and more excellent weapons,” Moore added.
According to the head of MI6, Kyiv is quite capable of winning the fight with Moscow. Ukraine will “remind Europe of this,” he said, demonstrating its ability to launch a counterattack. Moore said that fears about the approach of cold weather and the reduction of energy resources are increasingly heard in European countries.
The intelligence chief also commented on tensions between the US and China, noting that a possible standoff was “not inevitable”. Asked about the inevitability of war between the two superpowers, he replied, “A lot depends on our willingness to see differences between each other on both sides of the Taiwan Strait on the basis of peaceful resolutions.”
“Million War Forces”
On July 10, Ukrainian Defense Minister Oleksiy Reznikov said in an interview with The Times that the Ukrainian military had received an order from President Volodymyr Zelensky to retake southern Ukraine. For these purposes, “millions of fighting forces equipped with Western weapons” are gathered. Specific dates were not named. At the same time, Zelensky refused to comment on the military plans and said that he did not read the interview with the Minister of Defense.
A short time later, Deputy Prime Minister of Ukraine Irina Vereshchuk said that the country’s army will soon launch a counterattack and urged the civilian population to leave the areas controlled by Russia.
July 12 Vadim Skibitsky, representative of the Main Intelligence Directorate of the Ministry of Defense saidHe said that Ukrainian intelligence officers are preparing to fulfill the task set by the president for a counterattack in the south of the country: “We are not just preparing, we are reconnaissance. It is our main task to reveal the plans, intentions and locations of the Russian Federation so that the General Staff can plan the appropriate actions of the defense forces.”
Skibitsky stressed that “a lot will depend on the assistance provided to us” and “the potential we have accumulated to carry out more active counter-offensive actions”.
A few days later, Reznikov suddenly declaration“Misunderstood” for not mentioning a counterattack in the south. Reznikov expressed confidence that Kiev did not say it was “raising a million-strong army” and asked for forgiveness for the “non-native English” language.
Saboteurs in Kherson
A RIA Novosti source reported today that a large group of Ukrainian saboteurs overseen by members of the Ukrainian Security Service has been spotted in Kherson. Members of the sabotage group, including the organizer of the undermining of the railway tracks, were detained.
“As a result of well-coordinated work, another person planning to undermine the railways was identified and detained, a member of a sabotage group led by SBU curators from Odessa,” said a representative of one of the Russian law enforcement agencies. .
During the detention operation, the security forces confiscated more than 48 kg of TNT in the checkers, as well as smoothbore weapons.
Former Russian security forces found Two portable anti-aircraft missile systems (MANPADS) “Igla” in Kherson. Both MANPADs did not have a launcher, it was not possible to extract serial and batch numbers. There is also an RPG-18 grenade launcher, about 3,000 rounds, two assault rifles – AKM and AKSU, seven grenades, a PM gun with two clips, 400 grams of TNT grenades, etc.
The Igla complex is designed to destroy low-flying air targets. Its distribution is regulated by a number of international agreements, including between the United States and Russia.