Ukraines Military Leader Pledges Intensified Operations Against Russian Forces

Ukraine’s highest-ranking military official pledged to enhance the «scale and depth» of attacks on Russia, as stated in comments released on Sunday.

He noted that these strikes were proving to be «effective» and emphasized that Kyiv’s focus would remain on military targets exclusively.

«Naturally, we will proceed. We will amplify the scale and depth of our operations,» declared Oleksandr Syrsky, Ukraine’s commander-in-chief, during a briefing with reporters, including AFP.

His statements came during a pause in diplomatic efforts aimed at resolving the three-year-long conflict. The last direct engagement between the opposing sides occurred nearly three weeks ago, and there are currently no follow-up discussions planned.

«We will not simply remain on the defensive. Such a stance yields nothing and ultimately results in our retreat, along with the loss of personnel and territory,» Syrsky remarked.

In his extensive comments, Syrsky also acknowledged that Russia possesses certain advantages in drone warfare, especially in the production of fiber-optic drones that are tethered and challenging to jam.

«Here, regrettably, they do have a superiority in both numbers and operational range,» he stated.

He further asserted that Ukraine retains control over 90 square kilometers of land in Russia’s Kursk region, where Kyiv undertook a bold cross-border operation last August.

«These actions are our preemptive measures in response to a potential enemy advance,» he explained.

Russia claimed in April that it had achieved complete control over the Kursk region and denied that Ukraine has any presence there.

Currently, Moscow occupies approximately 20% of Ukraine and has asserted ownership over four Ukrainian regions since the onset of its invasion in 2022, in addition to Crimea, which was taken in 2014.

Kyiv has accused Moscow of intentionally undermining peace negotiations to extend its full-scale offensive against Ukraine and to acquire additional territory.