Zelenskyy announced that a new offensive by the Russian Federation is expected at the end of May or in June

Ukrainian military on BMP-2 on the outskirts of Avdiivka, February 14, 2024. Photo: Vlada Liberova/Libkos/Getty Images

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced that the Russian army is currently preparing for counter-offensive actions, which could begin at the end of spring or the beginning of summer.

The head of state said this in an interview with CBS.

«Given the shortage of ammunition, the shortage of appropriate weapons, and the fact that we are beginning to prepare brigades for important actions for us, we have stabilized the situation. It is better than two or three months ago. We share this information with our partners and say that Russia will prepare counter-offensive actions,» said Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

According to him, Kremlin plans to start counter-offensive actions no later than June 2024.

«It could be the end of May, it could be June. Before that, we need not only to prepare, not only to stabilize because our partners are very happy that we have stabilized, they say, 'Okay, you have forces.' We say, 'No, we need help now to prepare appropriate brigades that will have to fight for our land, especially during the counter-offensive actions that Russia wants to start,» added Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy gives an interview to CBS News. Video still

Updated mobilization law in Ukraine

On December 19, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy held a final press conference, where he announced that the General Staff and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces Valerii Zaluzhnyi proposed to mobilize an additional 400-500 thousand people for military operations.

Later, Chief of the General Staff Valerii Zaluzhnyi commented on plans to mobilize 500 thousand people into the ranks of the Ukrainian army. He said that the command did not provide specific figures.

The head of the presidential faction «Servant of the People» Davyd Arakhamia stated that on December 25, the government was supposed to introduce a draft law on mobilization, which he was working on at the request of the military.

The Committee on National Security, Defense, and Intelligence of the Verkhovna Rada began considering a new mobilization law on January 4. Discussions with the leadership of the Armed Forces and representatives of the Ministry of Defense will last several days.

On January 11, draft law No. 10378 on improving mobilization, military accounting, and military service was sent back for revision.