The head of the MDI Kyrylo Budanov called it “unlikely” to resume the offensive from Belarus

This year, the Russian army will focus on occupying a larger area in the eastern regions of Donetsk and Luhansk regions, a renewed offensive from Belarus is unlikely.

This was stated by the head of the Main Directorate of Intelligence, (MDI) Kyrylo Budanov in an interview with The Washington Post.

Also, according to Budanov, approximately 326 000 Russian servicemen are currently fighting in Ukraine, and only 9% of the stockpile of long-range Caliber missiles remains in Russia.

When asked if Budanov thinks that Ukrainian troops that will reach Crimea can provoke Russian President Putin to use nuclear weapons, he replied: "This is not true. And Crimea will return to us. I will tell you more: everything started in Crimea in 2014, everything will end there."

"Russia is a country from which a lot is expected, but not outright idiocy. Sorry, but thatʼs not going to happen. The task of a nuclear strike will lead not only to the military defeat of Russia, but also to its collapse. And they know it very well," added Budanov.

• In December 2022, the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Valerii Zaluzhnyi said that the Russians were training approximately 200 000 new soldiers, and that he had no doubt that they would try to go to Kyiv a second time. The Defense Minister Oleksiy Reznikov and the commander of the Operational Command "South" also believed that Russia plans to launch another offensive wave in February 2023.
• In January 2023, Kyiv Defense commander Oleksandr Pavlyuk assured that a powerful defense system was created around Kyiv from several lines with a total length of about a thousand kilometers. Ukrainian troops have enough forces and means to protect the capital.