Ukraine is preparing for the escalation of the war in the coming weeks

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With the one-year mark of war fast approaching, Ukraine redoubled its caution and began to prepare for all scenarios. The year 2023 started with “good news” with promises to send tanks, but the most intense and “bloody” fighting is expected to come. That is the prediction of the Secretary of National Defense and the Ukrainian Defense Council, who anticipate an escalation of the conflict in the coming weeks.

“Russia is preparing a maximum escalation. is gathering everyone [os equipamentos] possible, to carry out military exercises, trainingOleksiy Danilov revealed in an interview with Sky News from kyiv.

In a scenario where nothing has been excluded, the watchword is prevention. For now, all the hypotheses are considered and, according to Danilov, the possibility of Russia launching another attack from the north, south and east of the country -as occurred at the beginning of the invasion- is not ruled out. “We understand that everything is on the table… I can say that we are not ruling out any scenario in the next two or three weeks.“.

We are going through a very difficult period, but I am aware that the main fights are yet to come and will happen this year, in two or three months. These are going to be decisive months of the war”.

The continued support of the allied countries is of great importance, Danilov stressed. The official reinforced the calls for weapons, particularly fighters such as the F-16 or the Typhoon. This was the new objective defined by the Ukrainian authorities after ensuring, for the first time, the deployment of Western tanks.

So far, no indication has come from the allies in favor of supplying this equipment. While France assumed that “in principle nothing is excluded”, leaving the door ajar, the United States and the United Kingdom have already rejected the hypothesis. Asked about the issue, the US president dismissed the possibility with a simple “no”, while a Downing Street source said sending fighter jets “was not practical”.

Ukraine seems unconvinced and sees the negative responses as a “temporary” decision. “In the beginning, all kinds of help went through the ‘no’ phase”said Defense Minister of Ukraine Oleksii Reznikov, quoted by Ukrainska Pravda.

During a meeting with the French counterpart in Paris, the minister indicated that the rejection of countries like the US could only be provisional. He “he Happened with the HIMARS, with the artillery, with the Bradleys. With the Leopard-2 tanks we also received a ‘no’ at the beginning and now we have a coalition, ”he recalled.

The minister said he believed in the possibility of creating a coalition to supply combat aircraft, noting that it is necessary for a country to lead the initiative. “That is why I am here,” Reznikov said, suggesting that France should eventually give the green light for the delivery of this equipment.