Deputy Defense Minister of Ukraine Hanna Maliar has said that Russia's maximum task at the moment is to stop the Ukrainian offensive at all costs.

"The task of the Russian Federation now is to stop our offensive at all costs. By blowing up dams, mining fields, continuous shelling, sabotage, informational pressure and even 'nuclear' rhetoric. This is the maximum task," she said on the Telegram channel on Monday.

In addition, the deputy minister said that the "minimum" task of the occupiers is to significantly complicate and slow down the advancement of the Ukrainian defenders and, in the meantime, prepare their own counter-offensive.

"The motivation to 'not lose' the occupied lands will be much stronger than the motivation to 'seize' our lands. Because this is their mental eternal trauma. They psychologically endure an unsuccessful offensive more easily than the loss of conquered lands. This demoralizes and demotivates them irreparably," she said.

Maliar also noted that the occupiers "then will not gather their troops themselves, because the fighters, as in Kharkiv region, will massively refuse to obey orders."

The deputy minister stressed that it is "really difficult" for the Ukrainian troops now, but they are confidently moving forward.