Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has stated that his country's frontline positions this year are stronger than they have been in a long time, while warning that delays in Western military aid and missile shortages are severely hampering air defense efforts. Speaking during his evening address on Tuesday, Zelenskyy noted that Ukraine would be faring significantly better if military support from its international partners had maintained its previous strength. However, significant supply restrictions and delayed air defense packages have left Kyiv without sufficient missiles for its Patriot systems, complicating efforts to counter ongoing Russian aerial strikes.
Highlighting recent military tactics reported by senior commanders, Zelenskyy disclosed details of Operation Veles near Kupiansk, a city in the northeastern Kharkiv region that Ukrainian forces recaptured in late 2022 and which has since faced persistent Russian pressure. Zelenskyy explained that Russian troops attempted to utilize underground gas pipelines to bypass Ukrainian positions. Ukrainian forces successfully countered the maneuver by turning the subterranean gas infrastructure against the occupying forces with extraordinary success in what he described as a well-planned, technology-driven operation.
In addition to Operation Veles, Zelenskyy pointed to an air assault operation in eastern Ukraine and Operation Vivaldi further north, both intended to block Russian advances across critical sectors. Under the Vivaldi offensive, a senior commander reported last month that Ukraine's Third Army Corps had cleared Russian infiltration groups from an area covering 75 square kilometers while recapturing an additional 10 square kilometers of territory.
The Ukrainian leader emphasized the immense difficulty of safeguarding the nation's energy sector, infrastructure, and supply lines as Moscow intensified its offensive actions in recent weeks. In October alone, Russian forces launched more than 100 ballistic missiles targeting Kyiv and the surrounding region. Zelenskyy appealed directly to international partners, particularly the United States, upon which supplies of the Patriot system almost entirely depend, urging the Pentagon to provide necessary authorizations and quick responses for missile deliveries.
Looking ahead to diplomatic discussions expected in November involving Ukraine, Russia, and the United States, Zelenskyy stressed the necessity of including European nations in the negotiations. He asserted that Ukraine has consistently maintained that Europe must participate and have a direct voice in any decisions, emphasizing that no European country should be excluded from the process.
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