Ukraine’s forces thwart Russia’s strategic offensive planned for March – Zelensky

Ukraine has thwarted a Russian strategic offensive operation that the enemy had planned for March this year.

President Volodymyr Zelensky said this in his evening address, Ukrinform reports.

“The Ukrainian Defense Forces have thwarted the Russian strategic offensive operation that the enemy had planned for this March. And although the attacks are constant and assaults continue, the intensity of the assaults and the scale of the confrontation are not what the Russians had planned and what their command had promised the political leadership of Russia,” the President said.

According to the Supreme Commander-in-Chief, this is important because Ukraine’s strength at the front strengthens its positions globally, including diplomacy and communication with international partners.

“Our strength at the front is the strength of absolutely all Ukrainian positions, our communication with the world, our diplomacy, and the world’s ability to stand with us – whatever the challenges may be,” Zelensky noted.

He thanked every unit operating in the Donetsk sector, as well as those defending Ukraine in the Kharkiv region and along the border areas of the Sumy region. The Zaporizhzhia front also remains important, where Russian forces are attempting to reinforce their positions but are being destroyed by Ukrainian defenders.

Following his conversation with the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, Oleksandr Syrskyi, Zelensky said Ukrainian soldiers deserve recognition for their efforts.

The President thanked the Ukrainian Air Assault Forces and other components of the Defense Forces of Ukraine, including infantry units, drone units, artillery, intelligence, special operations forces, as well as the National Guard of Ukraine and the National Police of Ukraine, which are also involved in defending the country.

As previously reported, Zelensky said that Ukraine had earlier successfully thwarted another major Russian offensive operation that Moscow had planned to launch at the end of last year.