The Chief of the Main Intelligence Directorate of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine, Lieutenant General Kyrylo Budanov, gave an interview to Le Monde.
In the published material, journalists drew parallels between the Israeli intelligence agency Mossad of the 20th century and the current Ukrainian Main Intelligence Directorate (GUR MOU).
"The times are different, but we are ready for decisive actions," - said Kyrylo Budanov.
Key points from the conversation:
The reason for the Russian missile strikes in late 2023 and early 2024 is very banal: they wanted to quickly declare the past year "victorious" and move on to the next. However, Russians did not achieve any real military successes.
However, Russian missiles have several drawbacks. They often miss. We immediately sent them our response. The target was their military objects.
If compared to previous years, since the end of the summer of 2023, there has been an increase in the production of Russian munitions. It is not about purchased abroad shells but those manufactured by their industry. At the same time, we note a decrease in their quality.
The intensive use of drones from both sides has made it impossible to conduct offensive operations for both Russians and Ukrainians.
Another factor is the density of minefields, which has not been seen since the time of World War II.
We know the solution for drones — it's electronic countermeasures. Specialized equipment is needed for mines. This brings us back to the issue of production capacity. There's nothing unsolvable, but we need to consider everything.
The northern part of the Black Sea is under Ukraine's control, including gas extraction platforms.
The maritime export corridors, crucial for our economy, are functioning again, despite the risks due to the war.
We regularly attack the enemy's naval fleet and port facilities, forcing the Russians to hastily shift everything to the south. They are trying to establish a naval base in Ochamchire on the occupied territory of Georgia.
In 2023, the first Ukrainian landings took place on the temporarily occupied territory of Crimea, although some considered them impossible. This gives hope, especially to Ukrainians on the peninsula who have lived under Russian occupation for 10 years, and many of them were starting to lose hope.
Everyone thought that Moscow had a strong army but a weak economy. It turned out to be the opposite. The army is weak.
The economy [of Russia] may be weak, but the country is by no means starving. At these rates, it can hold on for quite a while.
Current Western sanctions are insufficient. They should have targeted the main sectors of Russia's economy that have remained untouched so far: energy, metallurgy, and the overall financial system.
We need more munitions and artillery systems. It's not just about modern technologies. We are interested in everything, including old systems that are no longer in use. The question of quantity is important.
The economic sector of Ukraine needs support to ensure the stability of the state. Other issues are Ukraine's concern only.
The war started 10 years ago, and full-scale invasion has been ongoing since 2022. Fatigue is evident on both individual and societal levels. I'm not criticizing; it's a completely understandable phenomenon. The main thing is to find solutions, and we found them in a timely manner.
Those abroad who claim to be tired of Ukraine will have to take care of the Muscovites when they come to occupy their own territories.
The aggressor state, Russia, is waging war not only against Ukraine but also against NATO, as their propaganda has been asserting from the very beginning.
I read Russian [classified] reports and briefings that circulate through various channels every day. Each of them talks about "strikes on NATO bases," specifying that there were "50 Poles," "30 French," and so on. They know it's untrue but convey this information.
Moreover, Russian prisoners of war told us about their surprise when they didn't see any NATO soldiers here. In their understanding, they came to wage war against them, and Ukraine is just the first stage.
