Now Mariupol has an opportunity to hold on, but main problem there is civilian population, which must be removed from combat zone - Arestovych
As Censor.NЕТ informs, Oleksii Arestovych, adviser to the Head of the President's Office, said this in an interview with ВВС Ukraine.
"Now the attempt to beat Mariupol and surround the JFO will be their main task. And we, I tell you right away, will not have as much fun there as we have had so far. And it will be very difficult. And it remains to be seen how it will end. Whose success will be a big question. 50 to 50.
But less so, all the terrible attempts to go to the Vinnitsa-Zhytomyr line, to capture Kyiv and so on - where are they? No. Neither is 40% of the Russian Armed Forces. No army in the world can afford to lose 40% of its armed forces in a single military operation. And their attempts to puf off and come to negotiations, taking Mariupol and encircling the JFO zone, only shows once again what idiots they are.
It's a tough situation out there, I tell you right off and on. I'm known as the chief optimist, but I'm just a sober person. And when I have to warn, I warn. And right now I'm warning that it's going to be very difficult there in the next few days. But our command understands that and is taking certain measures to make it hard for Russians, not for us. But we'll see how it will be," he said.
Щодо Маріуполя, то Арестович уточнив, що він має завдання триматися:
Mariupol actually holds large enemy forces that would otherwise be thrown to other parts of the front.
And the longer the defenders of Mariupol hold out, the more they give the country's military leadership, and the political authorities, and the international community a chance to take measures that, first, will keep civilians safe, and, second, will change the military situation.
When asked about his words that Mariupol could not be deblocked, Arestovych replied:
"At that moment - impossible. But the moment is changing. For example, they had a very effective way of supplying troops near Mariupol and reinforcing them through the port of Berdyansk. But after Tochka-U landed there, they put a stop to this supply method.
I don't think they will resume deliveries through the port of Berdyansk. Unless they build a powerful air defense system there, but that takes time. I mean, we've helped Mariupol a lot to hold on.
I know Mariupol very well. It's a huge city, and it's very, very hard to capture it.
The main problem in Mariupol is not military. We see that our military eliminated six Russian senior commanders. They act very professionally and can defend themselves for a long time.
It is possible to hold there for months yet. And considering that two armies have the same calibers of weapons, it is possible to take ammunition for small arms, grenade launchers in close combat, which will be enough for a long time. And the "great land" helps - I won't say in what ways.
The main issue of Mariupol is the civilian population. They need to be evacuated from there.
The Russians commit war crimes there, they send people to Russian territory. Men are taken away, filtered, and tried to be put into the Russian army, while women and children end up in various Saratovs and Omsks with very harsh conditions and almost forced labor.
