The Ukrainian front is not currently going through the most difficult period of the war and has real chances not only to hold its positions but also to improve the situation in a number of areas as early as this autumn. This was stated by Andrii Biletskyi, commander of the 3rd Army Corps of the Defence Forces of Ukraine, during a live link-up at the annual Yalta European Strategy (YES) conference.
“I think the Ukrainian front has absolutely every chance to hold advantageous defensive lines, to hold the so-called belt of fortress cities, and to improve the position in some sections of the Donetsk front. And I think that in the near future – within a month – we will demonstrate these improvements to the whole world, and they will be indisputable,” Biletskyi said.
According to the commander, Russia is pursuing two strategic goals: the final seizure of Donetsk and Luhansk regions, and economic and civilian terror aimed at breaking Ukraine’s ability to continue its defence.
He noted that the enemy’s military leadership has set itself a deadline until mid-April, while the political leadership is demanding that the capture of the region be completed within “fantastical timeframes” – by the start of 2027.
“Our victory or defeat here will depend on whether we close the Ukrainian sky this winter. This is about closing the sky both against the missile threat, including ballistic missiles, and against strike drones of the ‘Shahed’ type,” the commander stressed.
Biletskyi expressed confidence that if this test is successfully passed, then already in spring, roughly in March–April, Russia will face an existential question about the point of continuing the war, since it will not achieve any of its strategic goals. In his assessment, this could be an ideal moment for lasting negotiations and peace – if not entirely, then to a significant extent on Ukraine’s terms.