The Pentagon believes that the Defense Forces should complete their training and receive all the necessary weapons as soon as possible, since “Ukraine cannot waste time.”
The United States of America is actively deploying military equipment to the front and rapidly training Ukrainian military personnel ahead of a large-scale counteroffensive of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, which is expected in May 2023. It was reported by Politico on March 15.
According to an unnamed U.S. official, military aid packages provided to Ukraine several months ago took into account the needs of the Armed Forces of Ukraine in the coming counteroffensive.
The Pentagon notes that the acquired skills and technologies will help the Ukrainian military to win the war, relying on their own decisions.
“Enhanced Ukrainian capabilities will allow the Ukrainian leadership to develop and implement various options in the future to achieve their goals and bring this war to a successful conclusion,” said General Mark Milley, head of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.
US officials also told reporters that the Ukrainian leadership has not yet decided on a strategy for a future offensive. According to them, the Armed Forces of Ukraine have two options: go south through Kherson to Crimea or move from north to east, and then south, cutting off the land corridor for the RF Armed Forces.
The United States believes that the second option is more realistic, since the Russians have strengthened the defense on the eastern bank of the Dnieper, and the Armed Forces of Ukraine do not have the resources to conduct a landing operation against such forces.
US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin believes that the Armed Forces of Ukraine should complete their training and receive all the necessary weapons as soon as possible, since “Ukraine cannot waste time.”
Recall that on March 15, the head of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine Oleksiy Reznikov announced the preparation of the RF Armed Forces for a counteroffensive of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. He noted that the Russian invaders are digging trenches, building fortifications and are already on the defensive.
According to the statement of the adviser to the head of the OP Mikhail Podolyak in an interview with the Italian newspaper La Stampa on March 10, the Armed Forces of Ukraine plan to launch a counteroffensive in two months. Podolyak also mentioned Ukraine’s need for long-range missiles and increased supplies of ammunition.
