Russian President Vladimir Putin three times postponed Russia’s planned invasion of Ukraine after consultations with the Chief of the General Staff of the Russian Armed Forces Valery Gerasimov and Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu, Deputy Head of Military Intelligence of Ukraine Vadym Skibitskyi said. Independent reports.

Skibitsky said that Russia’s Federal Security Service urged Gerasimov to proceed with the invasion and that Russia had invested significant resources in its preparation.

“According to our information, the offensive was postponed for the third time to mid-February,” he said.

Skibitsky added that Russian military units involved in the planned invasion were supplied with food, ammunition and fuel for only three days, suggesting that Russia may have seriously underestimated the situation.

According to numerous independent analyzes and investigations, Russia’s decision to invade Ukraine was made by Vladimir Putin in considerable isolation from all but his closest personal confidantes, a factor seen as a key reason for the failures in the early stages of the offensive against Kyiv.

On February 24, Russia invaded Ukraine and Putin hoped the war would last only a few days, but 10 months have passed and a Russian victory does not seem imminent.

In September, President Vladimir Putin finally ordered a partial mobilization of the Russian population, including the conscription of military reservists and an increase in weapons production, as Russia loses territory partially captured since the start of the offensive and the army faces severe shortages of weapons, training and food.

On the other hand, the head of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, Valery Zaluzhny, said last week that Russia will try again to seize Kyiv after its previous attack was repelled earlier this year.

In an interview with The Economist, General Valery Zaluzhnyi said that he is trying to prepare because, in his opinion, Russian forces will try to capture the city of Kyiv again, possibly in February or March.

Answering a question about Russia’s mobilization of 300,000 reservists and ex-servicemen, he said that it worked.

• “They may not be as well equipped, but they are still a problem for us. According to our estimates, they have a reserve of 1.2 to 1.5 million men… The Russians are preparing about 200,000 new troops. I have no doubt that they will try to conquer Kyiv again,” Zalizhnyi said, The Guardian reports.

• “It is not true that their problems are so serious that these people will not fight. They want. The tsar tells them to fight, and they fight,” the Ukrainian general emphasized.

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