Ukraine Prepares for Counteroffensive

Ukrainian Defense Minister Oleksii Reznikov announced on Friday that the country is preparing a counteroffensive against the Russian army, marking one year since the start of the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Reznikov wrote on Facebook, "We will launch stronger and further strikes, in the air, on land, at sea, and in cyberspace. There will be a counteroffensive. We are working hard to prepare for it." Meanwhile, NATO Secretary General noted that a victory for Putin in the war poses the greatest threat to the security of alliance nations, pointing out that the accession of Finland and Sweden to NATO will enhance Europe's security. NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg stated that the Russian-Ukrainian conflict has now turned into "a logistical battle," and thus Ukraine’s allies need to increase weapons and ammunition production. Stoltenberg added in remarks to British Sky News, "NATO will stand by Ukraine no matter how long it takes, as we cannot allow Russian President Vladimir Putin to succeed in Ukraine." When asked whether Ukraine would be allowed to join the military alliance, Stoltenberg responded, "NATO's position has not changed, Ukraine will become a NATO member, but the primary focus now is to ensure that Ukraine remains an independent sovereign state in Europe."