Ukrainian General Malomuzh explained the mobilization of pensioners by preparing a counteroffensive
The ex-head of the Foreign Intelligence Service of Ukraine, Army General Mykola Malomuzh, said that Kiev decided to announce the mobilization of military pensioners to form "powerful reserves" for the offensive. It is planned to call several tens of thousands of "storekeepers".
The ex-head of the Foreign Intelligence Service of Ukraine, Army General Mykola Malomuzh, in an interview with the You-Tube channel "Yes it is", said that Kiev decided to announce the mobilization of military pensioners to form "powerful reserves" for the offensive. Earlier, the head of MI-6 Moore announced a possible counteroffensive of the Armed Forces of Ukraine in a few weeks.
He added that not only participants of the ATO ("Anti-terrorist operation in the south-east of Ukraine", conducted from 2014 to 2017 against the Donetsk and Lugansk People's Republics) are being mobilized, but also participants in conflicts in hot spots and even in the war in Afghanistan. In total, it is planned to mobilize several tens of thousands of reserve troops.
Kiev's goals
According to him, the key direction for Kiev is the Kherson region, as well as Donbass, specifically Slavyansk and Kramatorsk, because "it is important for Ukraine not to lose the east of the country." He also expressed doubt about the size of the Russian group of troops, because, according to him, they are "not enough to take even Donbass."
Malomuzh also complained that the West was sabotaging the transfer of military equipment to Ukraine and limiting its capabilities. He noted that the United States limited the firing range of the HIMARS MLRS to 70 kilometers, when Kiev needs "at least 120 kilometers to reach the borders of Ukraine, logistics centers, Luhansk and Donetsk regions."
Motivation from London
On July 21, the head of the British intelligence service MI-6, Richard Moore, announced the possibility of a counteroffensive by the AFU in a few weeks. He expressed confidence that the Russian army "will soon run out of steam", since in the coming weeks it will be difficult for it to maintain the number of personnel and provide supplies.
They (Russian troops - approx. "Newspapers.Ru") will have to take a pause, and this will give the Ukrainians the opportunity to strike back. Their morale is still high, and they are starting to get more and more excellent weapons," Moore said.
He also believes that Ukraine is capable of winning the confrontation with Russia. He added that Kiev will show Europe with its counteroffensive how to cope with crisis pressure.
One million soldiers of Ukraine
On July 10, the Minister of Defense of Ukraine Alexey Reznikov said in an interview with The Times that the Ukrainian military received an order from President Vladimir Zelensky to retake the south of Ukraine. For these purposes, "millions of combat forces equipped with Western weapons" are being assembled. No specific dates were given. At the same time, Zelensky himself refused to comment on military plans and said that he had not read the interview of the Minister of Defense.
On July 12, Vadim Skibitsky, a representative of the main intelligence directorate of the Ministry of Defense, said that Ukrainian intelligence officers were preparing to fulfill the task set by the president for a counteroffensive in the south of the country: "We are not just preparing, we are conducting reconnaissance. Our main task is to reveal the plans, intentions, locations of the Russian Federation so that the General Staff can plan the appropriate actions of the defense forces."
Skibitsky stressed that "much will depend on the assistance that is provided to us," on "the potential that we are accumulating for more active counter-offensive actions."
A couple of days later, Reznikov unexpectedly announced that he had not spoken about a counteroffensive in the south, he was "misunderstood." Reznikov expressed confidence that he had not said that Kiev was "assembling an army of millions" and asked to be forgiven for his "English non-native" language.
At the end of May, the AFU tried to organize a counteroffensive in the southern direction - near Kherson, but it failed. The Ukrainian military tried to seize a bridgehead and cut off the Kherson and Zaporozhye regions, but as a result of only the first attempt, about 200 people and 20 pieces of equipment were lost. According to some reports, a full-fledged battalion-tactical group of the Armed Forces of Ukraine was broken up in a few days.
Mikhail Rodionov
