Ukraine wants to free the territories occupied by the enemy as soon as possible, but we need other weapons than those we are currently receiving to do so.
"Despite the many forecasts, Russia failed to crush our defense, not in three, nor thirty days. Quite the opposite. Our fighters inflicted enormous losses on the enemy and ruined their plans. Fatal casualties of Russia amount to almost 19,000 soldiers. As well as 150 aircraft, 135 helicopters, 700 tanks, and almost 1900 armored vehicles," the Minister noted. "But the situation remains extremely hard. Especially in the south and the east of our country. Russia is concentrating forces for a powerful attack."
According to Oleksii Reznikov, Ukraine won the first round of the war when the heavy contact battles involving airborne forces, infantry, and armored vehicles took place, thanks to the well-trained and motivated army, as well as to the weapons we received from our partners.
"But Russia has made some conclusions and changed its tactics. It's translating the conflict into the protracted phase and a different form," the Minister said. "The number of contact battles is lessening. The enemy carries out missile strikes, uses aircraft, and widely uses multiple launch rocket systems (MLRS) and long-range artillery. It's destroying our peaceful cities. The shelling is carried out from Russian and Belarus soil, as well as the water area of the Black Sea and the Sea of Azov."
To win such a war, Oleksii Reznikov is convinced, Ukraine needs a kind of help different from what we've received previously:
First, the air defense systems and combat aircraft are necessary to defend our citizens and our army from missiles and airstrikes.
Second, we need long-range weapons. We're talking about Long-Range Artillery Missile complexes, MLRS, and heavy artillery. That would allow us to keep the enemy at a distance, not allowing him to approach our cities.
Third, we need tanks and armored vehicles to breach the occupiers' defense and reclaim the occupied territories.
Fourth, we need anti-ship missiles. To destroy the enemy fleet and de-blockade the Black Sea ports. Because without the ports we cannot carry out trade, including food. That can cause a food crisis.
Fifth, we need reconnaissance and strike drones.
At the same time, as Reznikov pointed out, there's an important nuance:
"We insisted on receiving Soviet models before. It's a rational solution as these weapons can be used on the battlefield right away, we know how to use them. It would enforce the defense in a crucial period. But there are not that many Soviet weapons that we need. They're often in poor condition as they were made around 30-40 years ago. There's not enough ammunition for them. That's why Ukraine must receive the weapons NATO countries use as soon as possible."
In the opinion of the Defense Minister, that would increase the interoperability of the Ukrainian army with the European armies even more and significantly strengthen the eastern flank of NATO.
"I'm sure nobody is still doubting that Ukraine can be an asset to European security," he added. "The Ukrainian soldiers are quick to master new kinds of weapons. They've already shown their ability to use Western weapon systems extremely efficiently in combat situations. That is proven by the enemy losses I've mentioned in the beginning. We call for providing us with heavy weapons as soon as possible."