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KIEV: Ukraine’s military on Sunday renewed its plea for operational silence over a long-delayed counter-offensive against Russian forces, the latest in a series of messages by Kyiv They are preparing to attack.
Expectations are mounting about what is expected to be a massive offensive by Ukrainian forces to retake Russian-occupied territories in the east and south.
But Ukrainian officials have repeatedly thwarted public speculation about the operation, saying it might help the enemy.
In recent days, the authorities have also launched a crackdown on citizens who publish pictures or footage of air defense systems shooting down Russian missiles.
“Plans love silence. There will be no announcement of the start,” the ministry said in a video released of the official. cable channels, apparently referring to the counterattack.
The elegantly produced footage showed well-armed, masked soldiers on the front lines holding their fingers to their lips, signaling silence amid the clatter of distant artillery fire.
It ended up with photos of the F-16 fighter jets in flight – long coveted by Kiev as it seeks to bolster its air defense against Russian missiles and drones.
Kiev’s Western allies have in recent months provided weapons, armor and ammunition for the counteroffensive, which military experts said could prove difficult against dug-in Russian forces.
In an interview published on Saturday, the Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky He said Kiev was ready for the operation but avoided making any predictions.
“Honestly, it can go a variety of ways, very different,” he told the Wall Street Journal. “But we will do it, and we are ready.”
Other senior officials, including the Minister of Defense Oleksey Reznikovsimilarly sought to reduce expectations.
But in some cases, the military has fueled expectations. The social media reach by Kyiv was often intended as a scare The Kremlin.
Last week, she posted a glossy video of soldiers preparing for battle and reciting a stirring blessing, which was later broadcast as a recruitment clip.
Expectations are mounting about what is expected to be a massive offensive by Ukrainian forces to retake Russian-occupied territories in the east and south.
But Ukrainian officials have repeatedly thwarted public speculation about the operation, saying it might help the enemy.
In recent days, the authorities have also launched a crackdown on citizens who publish pictures or footage of air defense systems shooting down Russian missiles.
“Plans love silence. There will be no announcement of the start,” the ministry said in a video released of the official. cable channels, apparently referring to the counterattack.
The elegantly produced footage showed well-armed, masked soldiers on the front lines holding their fingers to their lips, signaling silence amid the clatter of distant artillery fire.
It ended up with photos of the F-16 fighter jets in flight – long coveted by Kiev as it seeks to bolster its air defense against Russian missiles and drones.
Kiev’s Western allies have in recent months provided weapons, armor and ammunition for the counteroffensive, which military experts said could prove difficult against dug-in Russian forces.
In an interview published on Saturday, the Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky He said Kiev was ready for the operation but avoided making any predictions.
“Honestly, it can go a variety of ways, very different,” he told the Wall Street Journal. “But we will do it, and we are ready.”
Other senior officials, including the Minister of Defense Oleksey Reznikovsimilarly sought to reduce expectations.
But in some cases, the military has fueled expectations. The social media reach by Kyiv was often intended as a scare The Kremlin.
Last week, she posted a glossy video of soldiers preparing for battle and reciting a stirring blessing, which was later broadcast as a recruitment clip.
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