If Donetsk and Luhansk fall, Russia’s expectations to win this war will die out, said the adviser to the head of the Office of the President of Ukraine Mikhail Podolyak. According to him, Ukraine has already liberated over 6,000 km of the occupied territory and Donetsk and Luhansk regions are now a priority. The destruction of civilian infrastructure ahead of winter is an act of barbarism aimed at leaving civilians without electricity and heat, IPN reports.
The Ukrainian official said that Ukraine’s attacking tactic is different from Russia’s. Ukraine targets only military facilities and liberates its territories step by step. The Ukrainian army is determined to now free Donetsk and Luhansk. If it succeeds, Russia’s illusions to win this war will fade away.
“Ukraine does not fight according to the model of the Russian army. We destroy the storage infrastructure of the Russian army so as to reduce the number of attacks on our territory. We have liberated 6,000 kilometers and continue at the same pace. Now, according to plan, we need to liberate Luhansk region. If Donetsk and Luhansk fall, Russia’s expectations to win this war will die out. The counteroffensive is important from a number of viewpoints. It shows to the foreign partners that Ukraine can not only defend itself, but also attack. The counteroffensive raises inside Russian society the issue of the possible defeat of Russia. They are now considering the scenario of a defeat in Russia. Moldova should realize Russia’s fighting method. They attack ahead of winter critical civilian infrastructure. They want to make us freeze, to strip us of power and heat. I hope Moldova, if it still has the impression that Russia is an interesting partner, to stop believing such tales,” Mykhailo Podolyak stated for the public TV channel Moldova 1.
The adviser said the time of eventual peace negotiations hasn’t yet come and discussions will start only when Russia satisfies all the demands of Ukraine.
“Negotiations are out of the question. The Russian elite led by Vladimir Putin live in an illusory world. Some of the municipal deputies in Russia already proposed initiating impeachment to dismiss Putin as this annihilated the country’s prospects and destroyed the economy. But these are only incipient actions. The Russian elite continue believing that they can impose ultimatums on Ukraine. After Donetsk and Luhansk fall, all the bodies of the power in Russia will fall and only then Russia, if it wants to maintain its own statehood, can propose negotiations and can fulfill all the conditions of Ukraine,” stated Mykhailo Podolyak.
Two days ago, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Moldova said the Russian army’s attacks on civilian infrastructure in Kharkov represent barbarous behavior, which fully despises the lives of civilians, and these should be stopped immediately. In its message, the Ministry noted that “all those to blame should be held accountable for their actions in accordance with international law”.
