Danilov on readiness for counter-offensive: A historic opportunity that Ukraine cannot lose

Danilov said this in an interview with the BBC, according to Ukrinform.

He also added that an assault to retake territory from Russian occupying forces could begin "tomorrow, the day after tomorrow or in a week."

He warned that Ukraine's government had "no right to make a mistake" on the decision because this was a "historic opportunity" that "we cannot lose."

During the interview, he also confirmed that some Wagner mercenary forces were withdrawing from the city of Bakhmut, but he added they were "regrouping to another three locations" and "it doesn't mean that they will stop fighting with us."

According to the BBC, Ukraine has been planning a counter-offensive for months. But it has wanted as much time as possible to train troops and to receive military equipment from Western allies.

Danilov said Ukraine's Armed Forces would begin the assault when commanders calculated "we can have the best result at that point of the war."

"It would be weird if I were to name dates of the start of that or those events. That cannot be done…. We have a very responsible task before our country. And we understand that we have no right to make a mistake," Danilov said.

The official dismissed suggestions the counter-offensive had already begun, saying that "demolishing Russian control centers and Russian military equipment" had been the task of Ukrainian armed forces since February 24 last year.

He also defended the decision by Ukraine's army to fight in Bakhmut for so many months.

"Bakhmut is our land, our territory, and we must defend it," he said. "If we start leaving every settlement, that could get us to our western border as Putin wanted from the first days of the war."

He said that "we control only a small part of the city, and we admit to that. But you have to keep in mind that Bakhmut has played a big role in this war."

Danilov also said he was "absolutely calm" about Russia beginning to deploy nuclear weapons to Belarus, saying: "To us, it's not some kind of news."