Ukraine counteroffensive will likely be lengthy and ‘bloody’, says prime common

Jul 01, 2023 at 10:05 AM

kraine’s counteroffensive will likely be “very difficult” and reaching vital features might take a very long time, a prime US navy officer has warned.

Army common Mark Milley informed the National Press Club in Washington that the counteroffensive was “advancing steadily, deliberately working its way through very difficult minefields … 500 meters a day, 1,000 meters a day, 2,000 meters a day, that kind of thing”.

Mr Milley mentioned he was unsurprised progress was slower than some folks predicted.

He mentioned: “War on paper and real war are different. In real war, real people die. Real people are on those front lines and real people are in those vehicles. Real bodies are being shredded by high explosives.”

Mr Milley added: “What I had said was this is going to take six, eight, 10 weeks, it’s going to be very difficult. It’s going to be very long, and it’s going to be very, very bloody. And no one should have any illusions about any of that.”

It comes after the Ukrainian authorities mentioned its forces are pushing ahead on all fronts in of their counteroffensive.

Deputy Defence Minister Hanna Maliar informed Ukrainian TV: “If we talk about the entire frontline, both east and south, we have seized the strategic initiative and are advancing in all directions.”