Time is of great importance for the Ukrainian forces in preparing for a counteroffensive, and time also works in favor of Ukraine, because the further the centrifugal processes inside the Russian regime accelerate, Ukrainian Defense Minister Oleksiy Reznikov said.

"Time is crucial for us when preparing for a counteroffensive. Moreover, this time works in our favor, because, as we see, the further the centrifugal processes inside the Russian regime accelerate," Reznikov said in an interview with the ELTA news agency.

According to the minister, the Russian offensive is "creeping" and it is failing.

“They [the Russians] have changed the dates of this offensive plan many times, and after setting a new date, it is still not possible to achieve this. This means that they also lose psychologically. And there they lose not only manpower, but also equipment and ammunition,” the head of the ministry explained.

He also stressed that the owner of PMC Wagner has committed himself to succeed, at least on a narrow front. At the same time, according to him, “there is a conflict between the various towers of the Kremlin.”

“All this, first of all, allows us to gain more time, and also supports the stability of our entire defense,” Reznikov said.

On the other hand, he said, according to Ukrainian intelligence, the leadership of the Russian regime is ready to mobilize and sacrifice even three million people.

In addition, the head of the ministry said that this war “will not be "frozen" by any negotiations"

Reznikov rejected the criticism voiced in some Western media regarding the categorical intention of the military-political leadership to continue the defense of Bakhmut, since the losses of the AFU there may even undermine Ukraine's ability to launch a counteroffensive.

The minister stressed that the Russian losses there are disproportionately greater and simply "colossal." According to Reznikov, Bakhmut allows “us to restrain significantly larger enemy forces there with smaller forces, simultaneously destroying and grinding its offensive resources and potential.”

“This is very important in the context of the entire theater of war. The Russians have been using this ‘creeping’ offensive tactic there for more than six months and are suffering enormous losses there. This means that if not for those losses, they could have used their full potential on another defensive line or on the front line against us in some less fortified and protected place. And now every day we inflict huge damage on them and keep them, in fact, locked up," the defense minister said.