Russia is concentrating its forces to launch a new full-scale offensive in Ukraine.

The leadership of Ukraine believes that an attack by the occupiers can be expected until the end of winter.

Among the most dangerous directions, experts call the northern one and point to the threat from Belarus.

TSN.ua collected the main statements of the authorities and the opinions of experts regarding a possible attack by Russian troops. 

In an interview with French media, President 

Volodymyr Zelenskyi

said that he is aware of the possibility of an offensive by Russian troops in 2023, as the occupiers are obsessed with revenge.

"We can understand their desire for revenge, it remains their obsession, their desire to attack our country, to occupy our territory. They have never given up on this project, I believe. But the question is, are they capable of it? And are we capable cope with it? But I am sure that their desire to achieve it is still there," Zelenskyy said.

The Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine

Valery Zaluzhny

warned that the Russians are preparing about 200,000 new soldiers and will definitely go on the offensive - either in Donbas, or from the south, or from Belarus.

"First of all, it is important to hold this line and not lose positions. Because liberating territories is ten to fifteen times more difficult than not surrendering. So our task now is to hold on. This is our strategic task," said the commander-in-chief of the Armed Forces.

For his part, the adviser to the Office of the President,

Oleksiy Arestovich

, believes that the big offensive that Russia is probably planning for January-February 2023 could be its last. 

When the offensive of the occupiers is possible

The Minister of Defense of Ukraine,

Oleksiy Reznikov

, believes that Russia can start a new wave of offensive already in February, using 150,000 mobilized troops for this purpose.

"They are trying to launch the next wave of offensive, probably in February, like last year. That is their plan," he said.

The head of the Ministry of Defense expects that Russia will continue to mobilize its citizens, describing the main tactics of Russian commanders as a "meat grinder".

Foreign Minister 

Dmytro Kuleba 

admits that Russia may resume a major offensive at the end of January-February 2023.

"They undoubtedly have hopes that they will be able to break through our defense lines and advance deep into Ukraine. We are doing everything to make this impossible. And I firmly believe that they will not succeed," Kuleba said.

Where to wait for the strikes of the Russian army

Military expert

Oleg Zhdanov

believes that the Russians in Belarus may try to break through the northern border of Ukraine.

"I think that the option that the Commander-in-Chief General Zaluzhnyi spoke about is possible - that they can collect 50-70 thousand people in Belarus by February, with gigantic efforts, that is, form a combined army, and try to break through our border in some northern directions. 

On Rivne, in the Volyn, Zhytomyr directions

. And that is not with the aim of reaching Kyiv, but with the aim of drawing part of our army's forces to the north. So that we can start a defensive operation there," Zhdanov explained.

In his opinion, if the Armed Forces concentrate on the defense of the northern regions, the occupiers will have an opportunity to strike in the east. 

"But again, in the east too, we need to have about 100,000 in order to increase our efforts later," he added.

At the same time, Zhdanov does not believe in the possibility 

of a major breakthrough by the occupiers in the Sumy direction.

"In order to make such a profound breakthrough, all 200,000 troops that our commander-in-chief spoke about must break through in the Sumy direction. That's when there is a chance," the expert said.

He noted that today there are no 

formations of strike groups of the

 Russian army in either Bryansk or Kursk regions of the Russian Federation. 

"There aren't even 30,000 or 50,000 there. That is, there isn't even a combined army to try to break through our border," the expert said.

The Russians are "putting away their agony"

Military expert

Petro Chernyk

believes that the occupiers have enough weapons to decide on a new offensive, but their attempt will not be successful.

"They don't have high-quality equipment - that's obvious. In my opinion, not only the T-62, but also the T-55, and maybe, I'm being a bit ironic, they'll get to the T-34. But let me remind you that they stamped up to 100 million Kalashnikov assault rifles , Mosin rifles - 37 million, large-caliber DShK machine guns - more than 1 million, RPG-7 - more than 9 million. They have an incredible amount of old junk. And it is enough to put a sapper shovel in the hands of an infantryman, and they will die "for the family, for Stalin" , - says Chernyk.

Commenting on the expediency of such an offensive by the Russian Federation, the expert stated:

"Do they need this last "throw of the mongoose"?

They will lose, they must press to at least in some way try to bring the Ukrainians to the negotiating table with them. Will they succeed? 100% will not succeed

. It will only drag out their agony and the final appeasement of the Moscow imperialism... But one cannot underestimate the enemy in any way."

Chernyk believes that Zaluzhnyi's statement has two aspects:

"The first made it clear that we are well aware of all their logic; the second is a signal to the West, give weapons, weapons and more weapons."

Read also:

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