A leading military expert has revealed that a major Russian attack in eastern Ukraine will come after Easter.
Carlo Masala – a professor of International Politics at the Bundeswehr University Munich (Armed Forces University Munich) – says Putin has used a lull in fighting to reinforce and regroup his troops.
Masala – a former assistant director of research at the NATO Defence College, in Rome – added that the exact beginning of the attack will depend on factors like the weather.
Speaking on a German podcast called ‘Ukraine – The Situation’ – on the news portal Stern.de and quoted by German daily Bild – Masala said: “It’s a political question as to when this major offensive will begin – but I don’t think it will last longer than a week.”
But he also reportedly does not believe that the Russian offensive will achieve a quick victory.
Austrian Chancellor Karl Nehammer – who recently had talks with the Russian President, becoming the first European leader to do so face-to-face – has said that Vladimir Putin is preparing a “massive” offensive.
Speaking about Moscow’s reported wish to achieve victory before 9th May, which is when the country celebrates its victory over Nazi Germany in World War II, Masala said: “It doesn’t look very realistic.”
Masala added that if the Russians use chemical weapons, it will change the discussion in Western countries.
He added: “The pressure on governments to get NATO to intervene would then increase.”
Masala also said that there is a risk that a ceasefire would only be used by Russia as a strategic pause in order to then launch another attack on Ukraine.
He added: “This war can only be won militarily.”