Secretary of Ukraine Security and Defense Council: ‘We strike enemy where they least expect it’

Report presents an interview with Oleksii Danilov, secretary of the Security and Defense Council of Ukraine.

- There has been stability on the frontline for more than 7 months. Russia, for example, has not been able to capture the city of Bakhmut for 6 months, and the Ukrainian army has been taking a long pause in its counterattack. How would you explain it?

- War is a complex and difficult business. The soldiers have assignments given by the president. It is quite simple and clear - the liberation of all our territories, including Crimea, from the terrorist aggressors who occupied Crimea. They will do this together with our people. The only thing left is time. Let us wait, be patient and victory will be ours.

- Recently, you have stated about presenting a big counterattack plan to the president. You said that even your partners do not know the content of this plan. Is it possible that when the plan is implemented and certain points are known to your partners, they will be dissatisfied and this will lead to a decrease in military aid?

- We defend our independence and understand our responsibility for the liberation of our territories from occupation. As for partners, we cooperate with them, they help us very strongly. And when we talk about specific plans, we mean that these plans are closed, secret, and if someone believes that such plans with the "Top Secret" stamp will be disclosed to someone, then this is not the case, and there is no such thing in any country in the world. General questions - yes, but specific plans - no, they must remain confidential. This does not indicate a lack of trust and cooperation between us. It's a little bit different. I mean, there are not one, not two, not three options for the actions of our military - there are several of them. And which of them will be used for a particular operation depends on many factors. If anyone says that they know the location of the operation, then they are lying, because it will only be known after confirmation by the Supreme Commander.

- Is a counter-attack expected until summer?

- I don't use the term "counter-attack". Instead, I use the term "military operations" that have been ongoing since February 2014. The military knows exactly what they have to do. They are experts and have proven to the whole world that our army is ready for battle, moreover, it is fully creative and we strike at the enemy from where they least expect it. I think it will be the same this time.

- You mean, it is expected soon?

- The concept of "nearest time" is different for everyone. For someone, it means a day or two, for someone a week or a month. The main thing is the result. We must liberate our territories. Taking into account all the factors, the measures will start at the necessary time. We must start on time, not early or late.

- We often hear that the Ukrainian army prefers active military operations in spring and summer than in winter...

- By winter, we want to end the war completely...

- Will this end with the complete restoration of Ukraine's territorial integrity, including the liberation of Crimea?

- We have a common plan - to liberate all our territories from the terrorists who attacked us. The only thing left is time. Whether it will be one or more operations depends on many circumstances. We will not be limited by time. We will fight as long as it takes.

- A few days ago, drones attacked the Kremlin, and Russia blamed Ukraine for that. How would you interpret these accusations? Could this be the basis for more severe attacks on Ukraine, including the use of nuclear weapons? In addition, what can you say about the use of Iranian drones by the Russian Armed Forces to attack Ukraine?

- I want to note that no one has declared war on Russia, they started a war against us in 2014. We did not attack anyone, on the contrary, our lands and territories, which were established by international documents in 1991, were attacked. If somebody wants to blame someone else for the future disintegration of the country, that's their problem and none of ours. They can do anything. If they use nuclear weapons, the whole world's response will be completely different. As for Russia's cooperation with Iran on drones, this is the deed of the world community. Iran has been under sanctions since 1979, and if under sanctions it can produce drones using components from the world's leading manufacturers, who should be questioned and who should be answering the questions? We wish there would be no double standards and all countries followed international rules without exception.

- Do you expect an attack from the territory of Belarus in general? Lately, we have been hearing Lukashenko's statements different from what he voiced before.

- Lukashenko is a hostage of the Kremlin and is in a very difficult situation. We do not see that Russia will ask Lukashenko to attack Ukraine. Lukashenko and his military know very well how this would end. Because there would be internal resistance in Belarus. And I want to remind you that quite a few Belarusian patriots are fighting for our country on the territory of Ukraine. If they think that Lukashenko will give an order and they will carry it out, it is a delusion.

- How about three months of exercises with drones with nuclear warheads in Belarus?

- Currently, we do not see any threat of attack from the territory of Belarus. We'll see what happens tomorrow.