Zelensky on counteroffensive: 'This is not a movie'

During a press conference on June 2, President Volodymyr Zelensky fielded questions about Ukraine's upcoming counteroffensive, emphasizing that it's "not a movie" and it was difficult to describe in advance to the public how it will proceed.

"The main thing is for Russia to see it, and not only see it, but feel it. Specifically, we are talking about the forces that have occupied our territory," Zelensky added.

According to Zelensky, liberating Ukrainian territories is the main goal of the upcoming counteroffensive, and that when that starts to occur, "you will understand what is happening."

Ukraine's counteroffensive is seen by many not only as a critical juncture to recapture its territory under Russian control but to avoid being pushed by allies to the negotiating table with Russia.  

In late April, Deputy Defense Minister Hanna Maliar said that "complex measures" of the counteroffensive were already in motion along the front line in eastern Ukraine, adding that it could not be reduced to a specific date or act.

On Ukraine’s southern front line, tension reigns before decisive counteroffensive

Editor’s note: As per the regulations of the unit, soldiers interviewed for this article, many of whom have relatives remaining in Russian-occupied territory, are identified by first name and/or callsign only. SOUTHEASTERN UKRAINE – After months of seeing Russia’s war against Ukraine through the dr…

The Kyiv IndependentFrancis Farrell