Ukraine’s Western allies must “respond decisively and without hesitation” to Russia’s latest maneuvers, presidential adviser Mykhailo Podolyak told CNN on Wednesday.
“The attempted annexation of territories, mobilization, and nuclear blackmail is a new stage of the war, to which the Western Allies must respond decisively and without hesitation,” Podoliak told CNN in a written exchange.
Ukraine’s allies should supply it with more HIMARS rockets, including those that have a range of up to 300 kilometers, “as well as American Abrams tanks,” he said.
The announcement of an immediate partial mobilization of Russian citizens is Vladimir Putin’s “last hope to change the course of the war,” Podolyak said, warning that the Russian president is making the “same mistake he made in February” when he launched an invasion of Ukraine.
The announcement is “in fact a recognition of the absolute incapacity of the Russian army after seven months of a full-scale war,” Podolyak added. “The Kremlin tells the Russians bluntly, ‘we dragged you into a military adventure and assured you that everything was going according to plan, but the situation is out of control, so get ready to send your children to die in the war.’”
Meanwhile, Podolyak says the Ukrainian stance remains unchanged.
“We do not recognize referendums in the occupied territories, we do not respond to threats of using nuclear weapons, and we will continue the operation to de-occupy the territory and liberate our cities,” he added.