Al Mayadeen English

  • Ar
  • Es
  • x
Al Mayadeen English

Slogan

  • News
    • Politics
    • Economy
    • Sports
    • Arts&Culture
    • Health
    • Miscellaneous
    • Technology
    • Environment
  • Articles
    • Opinion
    • Analysis
    • Blog
    • Features
  • Videos
    • NewsFeed
    • Video Features
    • Explainers
    • TV
    • Digital Series
  • Infographs
  • In Pictures
  • • LIVE
News
  • Politics
  • Economy
  • Sports
  • Arts&Culture
  • Health
  • Miscellaneous
  • Technology
  • Environment
Articles
  • Opinion
  • Analysis
  • Blog
  • Features
Videos
  • NewsFeed
  • Video Features
  • Explainers
  • TV
  • Digital Series
Infographs
In Pictures
  • Africa
  • Asia
  • Asia-Pacific
  • Europe
  • Latin America
  • MENA
  • Palestine
  • US & Canada
BREAKING
Al-Qassam Brigades: We will hand over the body of one of the occupation prisoners that was exhumed today in the Gaza Strip at 9 pm Gaza time.
Al Mayadeen correspondent to southern Lebanon: One martyr and one wounded in the initial toll of an Israeli drone strike targeting the town of Al-Bayyad.
Local sources report that a car bomb explosion has targeted the General Security headquarters near the Baniyas Court in the Tartous countryside, western Syria
Israeli artillery strikes target Khan Younis, the Gaza Strip.
Palestinian media: IOF arrest leader Jamal al-Tawil, who was liberated as part of the prisoner exchange, from his home in al-Bireh.
Palestinian media: 'Israel' launches two airstrikes on eastern Khan Younis, Gaza.
Al Mayadeen’s correspondent in Gaza: Israeli occupation forces carry out demolitions in eastern Gaza City.
Venezuelan Foreign Ministry: The National Armed Forces will remain on alert and mobilized in the face of this extremely dangerous provocation.
Venezuelan Foreign Ministry: This is not a defense exercise, but rather a military aggression aimed at turning the Caribbean into a space for violence and US hegemony.
Venezuelan Foreign Ministry: The government of Trinidad and Tobago has surrendered the country's sovereignty to act as a military colony serving US interests.

How Zelensky's counteroffensive is dividing Ukrainian officials

  • By Al Mayadeen English
  • Source: Newsweek
  • 17 Aug 2023 22:38
  • 2 Shares
5 Min Read

Moscow's multi-layered defense network has yet to fail six weeks into the operation.

  • x
  • Zelensky's counteroffensive call may divide leadership 
    Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky during an address in Kiev, Ukraine, on March 7, 2022 (AP)

According to Newsweek, Ukraine's lack of meaningful progress only leaves Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky with two options, either he declares political defeat or conducts an "all-in" offensive and risks a massive failure.

Sources with inside knowledge told Newsweek that there were "definitely differences among Ukrainian leadership" regarding how to proceed militarily.

Some want to build on Kiev's limited victories and prepare for a Russian attack in the fall and winter, while others, notably commander-in-chief General Valery Zaluzhnyi, want to press forward, with Ukrainian military officials dismissing criticism as impatient and misguided.

Read next: Ukraine's counteroffensive was doomed from the start and the US knew

"On the military side, you have Zaluzhnyi and others—but obviously he's in command—who want to keep pushing. There are some questions on the political side about whether that makes the most sense right now. Or does it make sense to consolidate where possible in some areas, and relieve pressure on supply lines and stockpiles?" the source added.

The source also explained a sense of unhappiness and misguidance felt by government officials from the Ukrainian military regarding which way the counteroffensive would play out. 

Nevertheless, a Defense Ministry spokesperson for Ukraine claimed that rumors of division were nothing more than a supposed Russian propaganda tactic.

The Ukrainian effort has been recently touted in many publications as not only slow-moving but doomed to fail. An anonymous Western diplomat told CNN last week that "Russians have a number of defensive lines and they[Ukrainians] haven't really gone through the first line."

Ukraine's failed counteroffensive has been blamed on everything from shrubbery to lack of air power, but the former Defense Minister told Newsweek that there are "a lot of misconceptions about this counteroffensive...What Ukraine is doing right now is basically trying to decrease the ability of the Russians to defend themselves. It's essentially a long preparation for more active movement."

Related News

Terrorists in Syria's Aleppo attack dormitory, kill 4 students

Former UK SecDef urges Ukraine to conscript more 'young blood'

US Senator Tommy Tuberville (R-AL) told Fox News last week that Ukraine looks like "a junior high team playing a college team...They can't win."

Tuberville's perception regarding the war is being mirrored in Ukraine, according to sources. Although Zelensky has pledged not to waste Ukrainian lives, Kiev is likely to have had heavy casualties so far.

Stopping without a meaningful breakthrough might be interpreted as a catastrophic setback in Russia and among Western supporters, heightening fears that Ukraine's objective of re-capturing all land according to its 1991 boundaries is unduly unrealistic.

However, persisting and failing may have the same result, while also providing Ukrainian opponents with another opportunity to portray Zelensky and his team as obstinate, untrustworthy partners.

The source close to the Ukrainian government highlighted that it was crucial for Kiev to succeed in demonstrating that it is not an "irrational actor".

According to James Roger, "There's a risk here that there's either a very significant setback so that the Ukrainians have very little left to fight with, or there's a grinding series of setbacks," both meaning that Ukraine would be left at a disadvantage.

West rethinking plan to root for Ukrainian counteroffensive

While Ukrainian officials blame the West's over-positive hopes for the counteroffensive against Russia, Ukraine is also to blame for its failing retaliation, as reported by Politico. 

Chief of Ukraine’s Main Directorate of Intelligence Kyrylo Budanov, alongside other officials, continues to talk about the coming “decisive battle” while he continues to brush off requests from Ukraine’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs to ease on having high hopes. 

On his part, Zelensky was quick to jump the gun to keep Western arms and cash flowing while building expectations. 

Ukraine's failure can also be attributed to its inability to understand that the Russian army was correcting course by learning from its blunders fast. Weeks before the counteroffensive, Jack Watling and Nick Reynolds, two of the war’s strong military analysts from the Royal United Services Institute (RUSI), issued a warning about potential mistakes by detailing evidence of Russia’s learning curve, its tactics, and improved artillery targeting. They also highlighted the “speed with which Russian infantry dig, and the scale at which they improve their fighting positions.”

On July 31, American political scientist John Mearsheimer said in an interview transcribed by The Grayzone that he was surprised at the West's encouragement for the Ukrainians' counteroffensive, which he compared to a suicide attack that would lead to counterproductive results.

  • Kiev
  • counteroffensive
  • Ukraine
  • Volodymyr Zelensky
  • Russia

Most Read

'Israel’s Digital Iron Dome: Weaponizing the web against Palestine

'Israel’s Digital Iron Dome: Weaponizing the web against Palestine

  • Technology
  • 24 Oct 2025
Abu Hamza, the spokesperson for the Al-Quds Brigades, during a speech televised on October 22, 2025 (Al-Quds Brigades Military Media)

Al-Quds Brigades' Abu Hamza mourns leaders, vows continued resistance

  • Politics
  • 22 Oct 2025
US missionary kidnapped in Niger capital, suspected taken toward Mali

US missionary kidnapped in Niger capital, suspected taken toward Mali

  • Africa
  • 23 Oct 2025
Arab League chief exposes secret US deal shielding 'Israel’s' nukes

Arab League chief exposes secret US deal shielding 'Israel’s' nukes

  • Politics
  • Today

Coverage

All
War on Gaza

Read Next

All
Sheikh Naim Qassem speaks during an interview with Al-Manar TV, October 26, 2025 (Screenshot)
Politics

Hezbollah ready to face 'Israel' in case of war: Sheikh Naim Qassem

A Russian cargo train arrives at Astara Railway Wharf, March 2018 (IRNA)
Economy

Tehran, Moscow to finalize INSTC rail project next month

Iran's Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf addresses the media after submitting his candidacy for the Islamic Republic's upcoming presidential election in Tehran on June 3, 2024 (AP)
Politics

UNSCR 2231 termination marks major win for Iran’s diplomacy: Qalibaf

ap
Politics

'Israel' killed 40 Palestinian children in West Bank since January: UN

Al Mayadeen English

Al Mayadeen is an Arab Independent Media Satellite Channel.

All Rights Reserved

  • x
  • Privacy Policy
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Authors
Android
iOS