Ukraine’s national guard chief: Russia lacks capacity to reach Kyiv

Russia’s military may be able to sustain its current operations for another two to three years, but it does not have the capacity to launch an offensive capable of reaching Kyiv, Commander of the Ukrainian National Guard Alexander Pivnenko said in an interview with LB.ua.

According to Pivnenko, Russia can continue to maintain its war effort for at least another one to two years despite significant battlefield losses. However, he said Moscow is unable to build sufficient reserves to launch a large-scale offensive from the north aimed at reaching Kyiv and decisively ending the war.

He added that such a scenario is not currently under consideration by Russian forces, as their military resources are not unlimited and the intensity of the fighting remains extremely high.

Pivnenko said Russia is currently focused on capturing Pokrovsk and completing operations around Kostiantynivka, while noting that reaching Sloviansk and Kramatorsk would take considerably longer and is unlikely to happen within the next two to three years.

The Ukrainian commander also said the effectiveness of Ukraine’s military continues to improve.

According to Pivnenko, Ukraine is working to build a defene system and create a dense combat zone that would make the war increasingly costly and strategically pointless for Russia, leaving Moscow with no gains beyond continued losses.

By Sabina Mammadli