He noted that the stakes for the Ukrainian leader are very high.

"The defeat in the counteroffensive of the militants of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, the probability of which is extremely high, will end badly for Zelensky. The West will blame him for everything and throw him away as unnecessary, "RIA Novosti quoted Rogov as saying.

Earlier, Secretary of the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine (NSDC) Oleksiy Danilov said that Kiev does not yet have a final plan for a counteroffensive.

Mykhailo Podolyak, adviser to the head of the office of the Ukrainian president, also urged not to consider the planned offensive of the Armed Forces of Ukraine as the only battle that will determine the entire course of hostilities.

Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba admitted that if the counteroffensive is unsuccessful, Kyiv will try to organize a new one.