President Volodymyr Zelensky said “Ukraine has the strength to achieve its goals,” shortly after his latest briefing from his Commander-in-Chief.
“I spoke with Commander-in-Chief Syrsky about our actions both now and in the near future. Ukraine has the strength to achieve its goals. I am grateful to everyone who provides it with their power,” Zelensky said during his evening address on Sunday, July 28.
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Some commentators have inferred that Zelensky’s words hinted that Ukraine was still aiming to restore its 1991-internationally-recognized borders by military means.
While Zelensky did not disclose the specifics of his conversation with Syrsky, his November 10-point peace plan identified Ukraine’s ultimate goal remained the liberation of all Ukrainian territories under Russian occupation, including the Donbas region and Crimea – though how that would be achieved has been a subject of debate.
Zelensky recently hinted that Ukraine might resort to diplomatic means to return at least part of its territories in an interview with the BBC on July 19.
“It doesn’t mean that all territories are won back by force. I think the power of diplomacy can help,” he said at the time.
On the other hand Syrsky said in a July 24 interview with the Guardian that he believed Ukraine could ultimately prevail despite the difficulties, including what he called a “realistic plan” to liberate Crimea.
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During the interview, Syrsky acknowledged Russia’s personnel and resource numerical superiority but maintained that Ukraine has been successfully repelling and containing Russian offensives.
In the July 28 evening address, Zelensky also praised his troops and commented on the successful drone strikes deep inside Russia carried out by Ukraine’s intelligence agencies.
“Today, above all, it is worth noting [the successes of] two of our combat brigades: the 25th Separate Sicheslav Airborne Brigade, fighting in the Pokrovsk sector, and the 95th Separate Airborne Assault Brigade, fighting in the Toretsk sector.
“Both brigades in this week and in many other weeks of this war have shown themselves extremely, extremely strong and effective,” Zelensky said, referring to ongoing intense fighting in eastern Ukraine and Russia’s continued creeping gains in the region.
However, Syrsky told The Guardian that Russia’s gains were only “tactical” in nature without significant “operational” breakthroughs and which came at a heavy cost.
Syrsky said the front line was 3,700 kilometers (2,300 miles) long, with active fighting taking place across “977 kilometers” (607 miles) of it – “twice the length of the border between Germany and France.
“In principle, the enemy has not made any significant progress,” Syrsky said.
At the end of Zelensky’s evening address, he also commemorated the two-year anniversary of the Olenivka incident, where a number of Ukrainian prisoners of war (POW) were killed in what Kyiv said was a Russian strike on the prison where they were held, while Moscow claimed that it was a Ukrainian strike that went wrong.
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