Missile program’s freezing in 2019 decreased Ukraine chances to halt Russia on Chonhar outskirts - politician

He expressed this opinion on Espreso TV.

“The freezing of Ukraine's missile program in 2019 led to the fact that we had fewer opportunities to stop the Russians on the outskirts of Chonhar, instead of near Kherson two days later. The same applies to the events in the Kyiv region and other territories where the Russians advanced very quickly. I am convinced that until 2022, the Russians did not risk invading Ukraine because they were afraid of Ukraine's missile programs. They attacked exactly when the entire missile program of Ukraine was postponed in time and then securely destroyed,” Lutsenko explained.

The politician believes that the government has completely failed to prepare for a repeated Russian offensive in the Kharkiv region.

“Okay, we don't have missile programs now. Then why didn't we strike at the territory of the Belgorod region against the accumulation of occupying troops that began to advance on Vovchansk and Kharkiv? In particular, with Swedish weapons. Sweden has already authorized Ukraine to carry out such strikes. The Swedish Archer self-propelled artillery system can hit at a range of 40 kilometers. So what is the problem? Perhaps in the organization and preparation for a possible Russian offensive. The same goes for British weapons. Our infantile government has everyone to blame but them. Zelenskyy continues to blame the whole world. In particular, this is exactly what he said about those responsible for the Russian advance in the Kharkiv region,” he added.

• On May 30, the head of the Kharkiv Regional Military Administration, Oleh Syniehubov, said that Russia may launch an offensive in the Zolochiv direction in the Kharkiv region to engage as many Ukrainian troops as possible in the defense of the northern part of the region.
• On May 31, the American Institute for the Study of War reported that the Russian army was redeploying its own forces to strengthen its positions in the Kharkiv sector. This indicates a possible second phase of the Russian offensive in the region.