On Wednesday, President Volodymyr Zelenskiy was cited as stating that while the counteroffensive by Ukraine against Russian soldiers was progressing “slower than expected,” Kyiv will not be coerced into accelerating it.
“Some people assume that this is a Hollywood production and need results right away. It isn’t, “He stated in an interview that would be shown later in the day, according to the British broadcaster BBC. “Peoples’ lives are on the line.”
Vladimir Putin, the president of Russia, who is his rival, claimed that Moscow had seen a “lull” in the counteroffensive launched by Ukraine earlier this month. Putin stated in televised remarks that while Ukraine still had some offensive capability, Kyiv recognised it had “no chance.”
In its eagerly anticipated counteroffensive, Ukraine claims to have taken back eight villages so far, marking its first major victories on the battlefield in seven months.
While Russian forces have had months to develop their major defensive lines, Ukrainian forces have not yet managed to advance against them. Twelve brigades of thousands of soldiers each are thought to have been reserved by Kiev, though the majority have not yet joined the battle.
Reuters has visited some villages recaptured by Ukrainian forces and confirmed an advance of several kilometres. Moscow says it has been resisting the Ukrainian advances since early June.
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The BBC quoted Zelenskiy as saying the military push was not going easily because 200,000 square km (77,220 square miles) of Ukrainian territory had been mined by Russian forces.
“Whatever some might want, including attempts to pressure us, with all due respect, we will advance on the battlefield the way we deem best,” he added.
After a flurry of early gains, Kyiv has claimed to have captured only one additional village over the past week, the hamlet of Pyatikhatky. Officials said on Wednesday forces in the south were mostly consolidating earlier gains, while troops in the east were holding off Russian attacks.
“They had partial success over the past day, they have consolidated at the boundaries that were reached and they have evened up the front line,” Deputy Defence Minister Hanna Maliar said.
Zelenskiy’s interview with Britain’s public broadcaster was timed to coincide with a conference in London where allies were due to pledge billions of dollars in economic and reconstruction aid.
Washington offered $1.3 billion. Ukraine’s Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal told the conference Kyiv was hoping for more than $6 billion from the event.
The West has already given Ukraine tens of billions of dollars worth of military equipment, including hundreds of tanks and armoured vehicles that form the core of the force it is set to unleash in its counteroffensive.
Some of Ukraine’s supporters worry that Kyiv will have to show impressive results on the battlefield in coming weeks or risk political support waning in the West.
Both sides have stepped up longer range attacks with missiles and drones in preparation for the fighting at the front. Russia said on Wednesday it had shot down drones that had reached the region surrounding Moscow. Kyiv never comments on reports of attacks inside Russia.