Ukraine has accused Russia of planning a large-scale ground offensive early in the new year despite recent Russian military setbacks.
President Vladimir Zelensky and senior officials have warned that Kyiv and its allies must avoid complacency.
Senior generals say the attack could be in the eastern Donbas region, in the south, or even towards Kyiv.
Western analysts say that Russia’s ability to conduct successful offensive ground operations is rapidly diminishing.
Admiral Sir Tony Radaquin, Britain’s most senior military officer, said this week that the war would only get worse for Moscow, which he added was now facing a severe artillery shortage.
In a series of media briefings, Ukraine’s Defense Minister Oleksiy Ryzenkov said evidence was mounting that Russia, which has suffered several losses on the battlefield, was planning a major new offensive.
He speculated that this could happen in February, when half of the 300,000 troops Russia recruited to help fight in Ukraine in October will have completed training.
“The second part of the mobilization, about 150,000 … takes at least three months to prepare. That means they are trying to launch the next wave of attacks in February, like last year. That’s They have a plan,” Mr Rezinkov told JEE News.
“The Kremlin is trying to find new solutions on how to win,” he said, adding that he expected Russia to mobilize more citizens.
Moscow’s new offensive could come as soon as January but is more likely in the spring, the Economist reported Thursday, a prediction that comes in recent interviews by President Zelenskyi, General Valery Zlozny and General Oleksandr Serskyi.
“The Russians are preparing about 200,000 new troops. I have no doubt that they will go back to Kyiv once again,” said General Zlozny, the head of Ukraine’s armed forces.
Russia is “100 percent ready,” he said, adding that Ukraine’s “most important strategic task … is to build reserves and prepare for war, which could happen in February, at best in March.” , and at worst. In late January”.
“It may not start in Donbass, but in the direction of Kyiv, in the direction of Belarus, I don’t rule out the southern direction either,” he said.
