In the coming weeks, the Russians may go on the offensive in the eastern or southern direction. 

The Minister of Defense of Ukraine, Oleksiy Reznikov, stated this on BFMTV and called on NATO countries to increase military aid.

"We cannot lose the initiative... We think that, given that they live by symbols, they may try something around February 24... We do not underestimate our enemy," the minister emphasized. 

Reznikov added that there are about half a million Russian soldiers near the borders with Ukraine. 

"They officially declared about 300,000, but when we see the troops at the borders, according to our estimates, they are much more," he said. 

Aggravation at the front

The President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelenskyi, in his evening address on February 1, announced that the situation at the front is getting tougher.

He announced a "certain increase in the offensive actions of the occupiers" in the east. 

Oleksiy Danilov, Secretary of the NSDC of Ukraine, stated that Russia is seriously preparing for the escalation of the war, which may occur in two to three weeks.

The occupiers can try to attack from any direction, he said. 

According to Ukrainian intelligence, the next two months will be a very active period at the front. 

At the same time, military expert Oleg Zhdanov is convinced that the Russian Federation will lack the resources to repeat such a large-scale offensive as on February 24 last year.

Read also:

• Ukraine news

• War in Ukraine

• News of Ukraine: video

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