To divide
Strong words from the head of the Ukrainian secret service: he predicts victory over Russia by the end of 2024 at the latest.
Kiev – Kyrylo Budanov leaves no doubt: Russia will not last another year in the Ukraine war. This is what the lieutenant general and head of the Military Security Service said at the “Yalta European Strategy” (YES) Congress in Kiev, as reported by newsweek.com, among others: The Russian leadership had gone overboard with the invasion on a large scale. Budanov really wanted to see “certain signs of panic” among the Russian population in the face of drone attacks in Ukraine. At the same time, he wants to expand strategic bombing.
He sees the enemy “physically on the ground,” Budanov said, and long-term resistance is no longer expected: “Based on our data, I am personally of the opinion that the war will not be a long-term conflict.” believes that the war will last until the end of 2024, won and Ukraine’s internationally recognized borders restored.
War in Ukraine: Budanov wants to win instead of negotiating
According to his own statements, the secret service agent sees the compromises after the negotiations as simply “freezing armed conflicts”, as he put it. That’s why he sees no alternative but to continue the strategic bombing of Russia using Ukrainian drones. More recently, drones from Ukraine hit central Moscow. Budanov’s remarks cast a shadow over discussions over the delivery of Taurus cruise missiles from Germany.
The federal government is currently discussing whether to supply Kiev with the Taurus system in the Ukraine war. This would allow hitting targets far behind the front in Russia, which justifies the doubts of Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD). It slows delivery due to its range. Budanov’s most recent statements actually indicate that he wants to force the Russian attackers to their knees rather than to the negotiating table. An impact of Western weapons on Russian territory – including in areas occupied by Russia in violation of international law, such as Crimea – could be seen by Russia as aggression by the North Atlantic defense alliance, NATO, and respond accordingly.
Confident of victory: Kyrylo Budanov, head of the Ukrainian secret service, finds strong words about the chances of the Russian invaders. (File photo) © Pavlo Bahmut / Imago Images
Ukraine wants to continue bombing Russia: Putin’s federation is “no longer in the shape” it was in before the invasion
In any case, American Lieutenant General Ben Hodges had clearly spoken out in favor of “strategic bombing”, as he said: Strategic bombing is intended exclusively for infrastructure – munitions factories, oil refineries, warehouses and the like. . In addition to material damage, drone strikes are also intended to fray opponents’ nerves and thus increase pressure on Russia’s top warlord, Vladimir Putin. Combined with acts of sabotage, Hodges says strategic bombing is an essential part of ground offensives.
The head of Ukrainian security is speculating about exactly this: that the Russian regime will begin to crumble and the military front will collapse from within – he bases this ultimately on the Wagner uprising and public criticism of the head of Kremlin, Vladimir Putin, on behalf of its now deceased leader Yevgeny. Prigozhin. Budanov: “The Russian Federation is no longer in the shape it was before the invasion.”
War in Ukraine now extends to Moscow: Photos show damage from drone strikes
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