Zelensky: Russia planning major offensive

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Wednesday said Russia is planning a major “new offensive” but did not give an estimated timeline for the attack.

In a Tuesday address, Zelensky warned the Ukrainian people of “new mobilization processes” that Russia is preparing.

“We have no doubt that the current masters of Russia will throw everything they have left and everyone they can muster to try to turn the tide of the war and at least postpone their defeat,” Zelensky said. “We have to disrupt this Russian scenario. We are preparing for this. The terrorists must lose.”

Some Ukrainian officials also warned last month about a potential new Russian offensive in January or February, including Gen. Valeriy Zaluzhnyi, a top commander in the Ukrainian army who told The Economist that Russia is preparing some 200,000 troops and could have another go at Kyiv.

But the claims contradict U.S. intelligence that says both armies are likely to slow in the winter months and that no major new ground offensives are likely until the spring.

The Hill has reached out to the Defense Department for comment.

Zelensky’s speech, however, comes after a major Ukrainian strike on a Russian temporary base in the eastern Donetsk region that Moscow said killed 89 soldiers, while Ukraine put the death toll at up to 400.

That attack, which Ukraine carried out with U.S.-supplied HIMARS rocket launchers, has sparked fury in Russia and led to some finger pointing at commanders who garrisoned troops in buildings near ammunition depots.

Ukraine has recaptured significant territory in major ground offensives over the fall, including retaking the cities of Kherson and Kharkiv. Most of the fighting is now taking place in the eastern Donbas, which includes the region of Donetsk.

Since October, Russia has bombarded Ukrainian infrastructure and energy grids with missile attacks and explosive drones. Ukrainian has begun striking back on Russian bases with supply depots, although Ukrainian leaders have generally not claimed direct responsibility for the attacks.

With the war expected to settle into a long conflict, the U.S. included $47 billion in the end-of-year omnibus spending package for Ukraine, which came after Zelensky personally traveled to Washington to address Congress.

On Tuesday, Zelensky said he recently talked with Western leaders, including from Canada and the United Kingdom, and brought up concerns about a new offensive from Russia and more defense spending for Ukraine.

“Any attempt at their new offensive must fail,” Zelensky said in his address. “This will be the final defeat of the terrorist state. I thank all partners who understand this.”

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