High-ranking Ukrainian military officials have voiced grave concerns about the potential collapse of the front line in the face of a possible Russian offensive this summer, according to sources speaking to Politico.
These officials, speaking on the condition of anonymity, stressed an acute need for substantial military aid, including drones, howitzers, and a significant influx of shells and missiles, to withstand the anticipated Russian assault.
A Dire Warning
The situation on the ground, as described by officers who served under the command of General Valery Zaluzhny, the former commander-in-chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, is notably bleak.
They predict that the front line could falter under the pressure of a concentrated Russian attack, facilitated by a superior number of troops and devastating aerial bombardments that have been targeting Ukrainian positions for weeks. One senior military source lamented the lack of technology available to counter the sheer volume of forces Russia is expected to deploy.
"There is nothing that can help Ukraine now because there is no serious technology that can compensate Ukraine for the large mass of troops that Russia is likely to throw," the source stated, emphasizing that the outcome hinges on Ukrainian resilience and potential Russian missteps.
The officers expressed frustration with what they perceive as delayed and insufficient support from Western allies, noting that past aid arrived too late and in quantities too small to significantly alter the course of the conflict.
"Zaluzhnyi called it a 'war of one chance,'" one officer remarked.
Military and Political Crisis
Politico notes that everything depends on where Russia decides to concentrate its forces for the offensive, which is expected to begin this summer: "In the pre-offensive strike - from Kharkiv and Sumy in the north to Odesa in the south - the number of missile strikes and drone strikes targeting infrastructure, making it difficult to guess where the main strike will be delivered."
With the prospect, Ukrainian officers noted the critical shortage of conventional weapons and drones, stating, "we need howitzers and shells, hundreds of thousands of shells and missiles."
According to this source, Ukraine needs 4 million shells and 2 million drones. An increase in the number of soldiers is also deemed necessary, as current manpower is insufficient to bolster the front lines, further complicating the dire situation.
Amid these military challenges, Ukrainian officers also point to a concurrent political crisis, with Ukraine hesitating to implement a major draft.
As reported by Politico, Russia is "gathering resources and will be ready to launch a major attack around August, or maybe even earlier."
This looming threat is corroborated by statements from Ukrainian military leadership and international observers, all warning of a heightened risk of a large-scale offensive by Russian forces in the coming months.
