According to a number of ** reports from Global Network and other **, Zelensky held an annual press conference in Kyiv to announce that Ukraine has successfully completed the set goals for 2023, but it is still vague about the situation next year and the specific time of ceasefire negotiations. In addition, he mentioned that Ukraine plans to build 1 million drones, and plans to conduct independent research and development in areas such as ammunition.
While the package was intact, Zelensky revealed a "grim and sensitive" piece of news that the Ukrainian military is considering the possibility of increasing the mobilization of 450,000 to 500,000 recruits. Zelenskyy said he was carefully considering the matter because the huge number involved significant and sensitive issues. In his opinion, it is necessary to conduct in-depth discussions with the top echelons of the Ukrainian military to determine whether to submit this proposal to parliament for a vote.
Zelensky's cautious attitude has its reasons: on the one hand, Ukraine is currently facing a shortage of troops, and it will not be easy to gather 500,000 people in a short period of time;On the other hand, financial problems also became an obstacle, and he made it clear that in order to complete this conscription program, an additional 500 billion hryvnia would need to be invested in military spending.
The amount of 500 billion hryvnia is equivalent to about 95 billion yuan, or more than 13 billion US dollars.
Previously, Zelensky may not have been worried about this amount, but at present, the United States' aid to Ukraine is blocked, the aid funds are about to run out, and Zelensky's search for support in the United States and Europe has so far been unsuccessful, so the problem of funds has become a difficult problem for him to solve.
The huge mobilization plan proposed by the Ukrainian army has also raised doubts about the actual losses of Ukraine. At the same time as Zelensky's statement, Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu summarized the Russian-Ukrainian conflict, and he believes that Russia's strength is getting stronger and stronger, with a world-class army, and the output of high-tech ** even exceeds NATO.
Compared with Ukraine, Shoigu clearly said that he is bankrupt, because Western aid to Ukraine has exceeded 200 billion US dollars, exceeding Ukraine's GDP.
In terms of Russian-Ukrainian war losses, Shoigu claimed that the Ukrainian military had lost nearly 400,000 people on the battlefield, while the Russian soldiers were rescued in time, and most of the wounded were **. In addition, this year alone, the Russian army has recruited almost 500,000 contract soldiers and volunteers. Shoigu's statement is consistent with Putin's remarks, which confirmed that there is no need for a second mobilization, saying that the Russian army has deployed more than 600,000 people on the Ukrainian front and is holding a front of more than 2,000 kilometers.
Shoigu's public claim to have annihilated nearly 400,000 enemies is in stark contrast to Zelensky's claim that Ukraine will mobilize 500,000 recruits. This may not be a coincidence, because judging by all indications, it is clear that Ukraine's war losses cannot be underestimated. One of the clearest signs is that the Ukrainian-initiated ** has barely made any progress for several months since the summer.
This is unlikely to happen in the event of a victory for the Ukrainian military. Obviously, the Ukrainian military has already suffered a defeat, and defeat means ** heavy, not only a large amount of Ukrainian territory lost, but also a large number of Ukrainian soldiers are buried.
The current situation shows that there seems to be serious infighting between Zelensky and Zaluzhny. Despite Zelensky's superficial denials, he stressed that his relationship with Zaluzhny was limited to a "working relationship", in effect suggesting a lack of genuine friendship between the two. Zelensky deliberately made public the military's request to mobilize 500,000 recruits, possibly indirectly criticizing Zaluzhny.
Previously, Zaluzhny had complained to US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin that Zelensky interfered excessively in the command of the army and made unrealistic demands, including asking the United States to provide 17 million rounds of artillery shells and $350 billion to $400 billion in funds for "** operations".
Zaluzhny is clearly aware that these demands are unlikely to be met, and he may be emphasizing the inevitability of Ukraine's defeat through such statements.
In the current situation, Russia's power is gradually growing, while Zelensky is still complaining. In this way, Zelensky is very confused about the situation in 2024. It cannot be ignored that 2024 will be the year of the United States, and Ukraine is likely to be the party that sacrificed.