Mikhailo Podolyak speaks from the Ukrainian capital, which was again bombed by the Russian army on the night of May 8-9.
The Ukrainian authorities have been announcing since the beginning of spring the imminence of a counter-offensive. Mikhailo Podolyak calls for rapid action, to prevent Russia from modernizing its armaments and mobilizing soldiers. "On the contrary, we must end the war as soon as possible," he said.
This counter-offensive includes the "liberation of the Crimean peninsula, and parts of Donbass occupied in 2014," insists the adviser to the Ukrainian president.
Wagner's reproaches against the Russian army
He believes that an effective counter-offensive will force the Russians to abandon their positions, and will also allow a process of political transformation in Russia to begin. According to him, it also concerns Europe, where the current Russian elite will continue to "invest in blackmail, terrorism and finance radical movements".
The presidential adviser reacts to the words of the boss of the paramilitary group Wagner, Yevgeny Prigozhin who threatened to leave Bakhmut because of "a long shortage of ammunition". He accused the Russian General Staff of having provided him with only 32% of the ammunition requested since last October. For Mikhailo Podolyak, these reproaches illustrate the divisions within the Russian elites and the military defeats inflicted on Moscow can increase the conflicts between the Russians.
The summary of the week France 24 invites you to look back on the news that marked the week
I subscribe
Take international news with you everywhere! Download the France 24 app