Roman Kostenko commented on media reports on Russia’s new offensive against Ukraine “in the coming weeks”

Recently, the topic of a possible new offensive by the Russian Federation has increasingly worried Ukrainian society. This is said by both analysts and Western media, which refer to the statements of Ukrainian government officials and the military. For example, the Associated Press news agency reported that the Russian army is preparing for a new large-scale offensive operation already “in the coming weeks”, and that it can be deployed along the entire front line with a length of a thousand kilometers. According to journalists, Russia seeks to increase pressure on Ukraine in order to strengthen its position in potential negotiations on a ceasefire.

On March 26, President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyi in an interview with the French publication Le Figaro also stated that Putin is “trying to buy time and preparing for a spring offensive.” According to the head of state, Russia may try to strike Sumy and Kharkiv regions again.

Against the background of these alarming reports, Roman Kostenko, the secretary of the Parliamentary Committee on National Security, Defense and Intelligence stated, that although the front really has a length of a thousand kilometers, Russia’s opportunities for an offensive are limited. According to him, Russian troops can conduct active actions in separate areas, as it has already happened, in particular, in the Pokrovsky direction, but it is not necessary to talk about a large-scale offensive along the entire front line at the moment.

“The Russian army can try to conduct active offensive actions, as it did in the Pokrovsky direction. And advancing along the entire front line, which stretches for a thousand kilometers, is unrealistic, given the modern methods of conducting hostilities. Russia currently does not have sufficient forces to attack in several directions at once.” Kostenko noted.

Commenting on the situation on the border with the Sumy region, Kostenko admitted that a large group of enemy troops is indeed concentrated on the territory of Russia near the Ukrainian border, but the Ukrainian army keeps this direction under control.

“We restrain them there. According to various estimates, it is up to 80 thousand Russian soldiers. And if we fail the defense there, they will move. There is a group of Ukrainian troops that controls it. So the Russian army can enter our territory. But for this we need to do everything that this did not happen. First of all, these are resources, trained personnel, equipment and weapons.” – emphasized the deputy.

In addition, Kostenko’s colleague on the parliamentary committee, Fyodor Venislavsky, drew attention to the fact that the total number of Russian military personnel participating in the war against Ukraine remains relatively stable.

“There are around 570,000-580,000 Russian servicemen, including those who are directly located on the territory of the Russian Federation close to Ukraine. Therefore, there are no such grounds to talk about some kind of sharp growth. Therefore, talk about the ability of the Russian Federation to advance along a thousand-kilometer front line. The fact that the Russian army will try to attack in certain areas, in particular in the southern and eastern directions, it does this constantly.” – said Venislavskyi.

Therefore, the representatives of the parliamentary committee on national security recognize the activity of the Russian army in certain areas and do not rule out further offensive attempts, but at the same time emphasize the lack of resources of the enemy for a full-scale breakthrough along the entire front line. The Defense Forces of Ukraine are preparing for possible scenarios of the development of events and call for increased support of the army with resources, weapons and trained personnel.