Col. Oleksandr Shirsky, the new commander-in-chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU), claimed in an interview with German television station ZDF that the situation in Ukraine has entered a new phase, with Ukraine transitioning to a defensive operation. A war characterized by the increased use of drones.
This interview was recorded just days before Mr. Silsky was appointed to his new position.
Russia is advancing along the entire front, and Ukraine is on the defensive.
“The situation at the moment can be assessed as difficult. The enemy is currently advancing the entire front. We have transitioned from offensive actions to conducting defensive operations,” Silsky said.
He made it clear that the purpose of the defensive operation was to weaken the Russian military and inflict maximum losses. He said that daily attacks by Russian forces continue, and heavy fighting is occurring, especially in the Kupyansk area, and that Russia aims to seize the initiative at all costs.
“Every day, from morning until late at night, [the enemy] Assault our position,” Silsky said.
He further revealed that the Russian military launched a global offensive on October 3.
“We cannot allow our territory to remain under the control of occupiers.”
In response to a question about Ukraine’s resilience and ability to sustain the war, Silsky Silsky told ZDF:
“When this overt aggression started, I felt like I was going into an abyss with no set deadline… It was clear that it was going to be long and difficult.”
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He stressed the need for Ukraine to regain its pre-2014 borders and end the war, arguing that “no other option is on the table because there is no other way out.”
Mr. Silsky called on Ukrainian society to unite behind a common cause of victory.
“Everyone must be on their toes. Without external help, we will have to establish production in Ukraine,” he said.
He pointed out that this process has already started and there is a need to adjust domestic production capacity.
“We have to rely first on ourselves, not just our partners,” he said.
The lives of the soldiers are his main concern.
Silsky is adamant that Ukraine’s first value is to protect the lives of its defenders.
“The main role lies with the soldiers, the officers, who carry out their duties directly on the battlefield. They will win this victory. It depends on them what will happen today and what will happen tomorrow.”
He said it was better to accept the need to withdraw from certain positions than risk unnecessary sacrifices of personnel.
“We cannot afford to adopt the same attitude as Russian commanders who rely on ‘meat attacks’ to achieve progress,” Shirsky stressed.
According to his data, Russian losses in this war, especially deaths, are 7-8 times higher than those suffered by the Ukrainian army.
The war is entering a new stage
“We are now seeing how the role of drones is increasing…as both sides use increasing numbers…,” he said.
He said the movement of drones across the battlefield is constant. Silsky noted that this war greatly increased the importance of technological advances in the UAF and its combat plans.
“We are already seeing the use of ground-based robotic platforms, remotely controlled modules, which also provide an opportunity to save military lives,” Silsky said.
“The war is entering a new phase,” he added.
Weapons from the West are not enough
The interviewer asked Shirsky about Western military aid. How does it look?
In response, Prime Minister Shirsky emphasized that such a war had not occurred since World War II, because for two years intense combat operations were being carried out “from the south to the north.”
“When you have a war of this magnitude, these weapons are not enough. And the weapons that are used have a physical expiration date,” he said.
According to Schilsky, this war is not only about people, but also about the economy.
“And here the economies of the entire Western world should help us, because we are using the most precious thing we have: the heart of our people, our people. ” he added.
At the end of the interview, in response to a journalist’s question about the possible conditions for ending the war, Schilsky said: “Everything depends on the level of support and the effectiveness of our actions.”
“We have enough resilience and courage. We lack support, ammunition and equipment,” he said.