Ukraine, which has been on the defensive, is expected to launch a large-scale counterattack soon

Ukraine Military "Counterattack to Recover Lost Territory"
Russia Seems to Believe It Has Lost Strength Due to Previous Offensives

The Ukrainian military is expected to launch a large-scale counteroffensive against Russia soon.

On the 24th (local time), according to major foreign media, the Ukrainian military announced plans to launch a large-scale counteroffensive to reclaim lost territory. General Oleksandr Syrskyi, commander of the Russian army, stated that they would not miss the opportunity to counterattack when the manpower and equipment of the Wagner Group, a Russian mercenary force, decrease.

[Image source=AP Yonhap News]

Bloomberg previously reported that Yevgeny Prigozhin, head of the Wagner Group, was considering reducing involvement due to conflicts with the Russian Ministry of Defense. However, Prigozhin has denied these reports.

Foreign media interpreted that the Ukrainian military believes the Russian forces have suffered losses due to their offensive operations and intends to launch a counterattack. The media also noted that the Ukrainian military has been stockpiling supplies received from the West.

Russia has not made any separate comments regarding the Ukrainian military's claim that the momentum of the Russian forces was broken after the Bakhmut offensive.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky attended the European Union (EU) summit via video conference on the same day to request support. President Zelensky warned that the longer Western aid is delayed, the more likely the war will be prolonged.

Meanwhile, it is reported that talks between Chinese President Xi Jinping and President Zelensky are facing difficulties. The Ukrainian side stated that the Chinese side has not yet finalized its position, preventing a summit-level dialogue.

Earlier, U.S. media reported that President Xi would hold a video conference with President Zelensky following his visit to Russia. However, no definitive confirmation has been made regarding a summit meeting between President Zelensky and President Xi.