Ukraine cannot lose, otherwise it is set to become part of Russian Empire - Reznikov

That’s according to Ukraine’s outgoing Defense Minister Oleksii Reznikov, who spoke in an interview with Ukrinform.

“Look, there's no way we're going to lose. This would mean that Russia has regained its control and we have become part of the Russian Empire. How can this be possible?" said Reznikov.

He is convinced that his country will win. "But when I flew to Washington for the first time in November 2021, just being a newly appointed minister and asking for Stingers – I was denied and told that it was impossible. And I said that it is possible and that they will give them to us. I was sure that we would receive them and we did receive them in January, from Lithuania, but with Washington’s permission. And when I asked for 155mm artillery, I was sure we would be given it. Although we were refused, they were later given to us. When I asked to give us MLRS, this is M270, this is HIMARS, I was told that it was absolutely impossible, but I was sure. I say: you will give them to us anyway, let's train our crews now. And they were given to us eventually. And so it was with the entire range - Leopards, Patriots, and as for F-16, I was convinced and confident that they would be given to us, and they were given to us, and they are still being given," the government official recalled.

The minister also noted he was sure that Ukraine would not collapse in three days or three weeks. "We cannot fail to win this war. If we analyze the Second World War, Hitler entered the vast majority of European capitals without resistance as it was easier for them to surrender, because for them the value of security was more important than the value of freedom and will. And for us, the value of freedom and will is higher than the value of security, that is why we go there, risking our lives, to destroy the occupying enemy, we die, we get wounded, we fight, and we will keep doing it because this is in the Ukrainian genes that can’t be changed. That’s the way it is.”

And, again, since this is a war of resources, the resources of the civilized world stand with Ukraine against Russia’s. Yes, they are big, powerful, they have many people, but technologically, gradually they are also getting exhausted," he said.

Moreover, Reznikov added, the Russians have almost lost the manpower backbone of their army. That is, the vast majority of their marines, paratroopers, those had served for 15-20 years, have been killed, wounded, or captured. They pull in reserves to their brigades from among freshly mobilized soldiers with no experience. This also affects the situation on the battlefield.