Due to the problems of the Russian army with professional staff, equipment and ammunition, the RF does not have enough forces to capture all the territories of Donetsk and Luhansk Regions this year. Ukrainian counter-offensive is possible in 2025.
This was stated in an interview with the Chief of the Defence Intelligence of Ukraine (GU0R), Lieutenant General Kyrylo Budanov to The Wall Street Journal.
Budanov notes that Russian army has problems with professional staff, equipment and ammunition. He also points out that missile attacks on Ukrainian cities have subsided recently due to a reduction of Russian supplies.
Western officials and analysts consider Budanov's forecast as the optimal scenario for Ukraine for the year. They believe that if Ukraine is able to conduct defense, depleting Russian forces and simultaneously rebuilding its own, it will be able to launch another counteroffensive in 2025.
In addition, according to the Chief of Ukrainian GUR, Russia has recently activated a plan that combines disinformation and attempts to kill public Ukrainians in order to sow discord in society and in the AFU. Budanov believes that the peak of Russian efforts will be in the spring, at the same time Russian troops will try to attack actively.
Earlier we wrote that Russia started an active phase of information operation "Perun" to justify aggression against Ukraine.