This year's autumn combat operations will be decisive – Military expert Zgurets

He expressed this opinion on Espreso TV channel.

Zgurets stated that it is essential to prepare well for counter-offensive actions. Based on their estimates, the end of the third quarter of this year is the perfect time for the Armed Forces' counter-offensive, and autumn will be a decisive period for combat operations. Ukraine must ensure successful actions based on the forces available at the time. However, he emphasized that one offensive alone will not guarantee Ukraine's victory.

The analyst emphasized that negotiations with the Russian Federation should only take place after a successful Ukrainian army counteroffensive.

"The counteroffensive of the Armed Forces of Ukraine must create a new political reality. We must inflict maximum losses on the enemy on the battlefield and connect this with political negotiation issues. Before the negotiation process, the enemy must be prepared to accept that they have already lost the war," he added.

• On March 28, US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin noted that Ukraine has a very good chance of launching a counteroffensive this spring, as Russian resources are depleted and the Ukrainian military receives help from Western partners.

• On April 1, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff of the United States, General Mark Milley, said that Ukraine's victory in the war against Russia this year is unlikely, although he did not say that it was impossible.