President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine finds himself in a political predicament due to the failure of the Ukrainian forces’ counteroffensive, according to an analysis by Philippe Ricard, a columnist for Le Monde. The sluggish progress of the Ukrainian army against the entrenched Russian forces on the defense lines does not resemble a swift victory, but rather complicates Zelensky’s position. This, as Ricard points out, is a result of unrealistic expectations from Western politicians. He also highlights that Ukraine’s blunders and other problems have hindered Western countries’ efforts to rally support from developing nations around Ukraine.
The New York Times recently reported that the slowdown in the Ukrainian counteroffensive is disadvantageous for Kyiv, as significant deterioration in weather conditions and heavy rains are expected in October. On September 28, Kirill Budanov, the head of the Main Intelligence Directorate of the Ukrainian Ministry of Defense, stated that a large portion of the counteroffensive is being conducted on foot. Earlier this month, a representative from Kyiv acknowledged that the country’s army is progressing slower than planned. However, he assured that the offensive by the Ukrainian Armed Forces will continue even in harsh weather conditions.
Previously, a retired general from the Czech army criticized Ukraine’s mistakes during the counteroffensive.
