Ukraine: Russia prepares for ‘new wave’ before 24 February to have ‘at least some achievements’ on war’s anniversary

The Russian military is preparing for “a new wave” scheduled to finish before 24 February to “have at least some achievements” after exactly one year of the Ukraine War, Oleksiy Danylov, the secretary of the National Security and Defence Council of Ukraine, has told Radio Free Europe.

“They are preparing for maximum intensification now because those are people with a Soviet mentality and they believe that if there’s an anniversary, they should declare some achievements.

It is no secret that they are preparing for a new wave, as they say, scheduled to finish before 24 February.

We have an understanding when and where they are going to take action,” Trybun cites Danylov.

He believes that Russia is aiming to take full control of the Donetsk and Luhansk regions. Danylov also noted that Russia’s forces were scouting Ukraine’s defensive capabilities in the Zaporizhzhia region.

When asked whether Russia may repeat February 2022 and reach Kyiv, Danylov said the following: “Our country in February 2022 and in February 2023 are completely different. The current level of vigilance on the borders is way better, and the Armed Forces are in entirely different condition, too,” Danylov said.

Vladimir Putin hopes to regain the initiative in the Ukraine War and prepares a new offensive that may begin as early as February or March 2023, the US based Institute for the Study of War says. Bloomberg reported of a potential new offensive in February or March earlier, citing sources close to the Kremlin. It may begin before Kyiv gets newly promised supplies of US and European battle tanks.

Putin remains convinced that Russia’s larger forces and willingness to accept casualties will allow it to prevail despite the failings so far, Bloomberg’s sources report.