Ukraine defense minister says soldiers moving from defense to offense

Ukrainian Defense Minister Oleksii Reznikov says that after three weeks of fighting, his soldiers are beginning to mount counter-offensives against Russian forces in several locations.

“The situation remains difficult, especially in the south and east. But more and more often our defenders are moving into counterattacks in various parts of the front: from Kyiv and Mykolaiv regions to the Luhansk region,” he says on Facebook.

His ministry posts a video, set to AC/DC’s “Highway to Hell,” of Ukrainian artillery bombing what is described as a Russian command and supply post near Kyiv.

???? Головнокомандувач ЗС України генерал Валерій Залужний:

На Київському напрямку наші артилеристи влаштували highway to hell командному пункту і пункту забезпечення 35-ої Армії Східного військового округу ЗС РФ. #Україна_тримається_на_наших_плечах pic.twitter.com/LYptCMFZD2

— Defense of Ukraine (@DefenceU) March 16, 2022

Reznikov also hints at good news for the army following talks with counterparts from NATO and the EU.

“We agreed not to report on specific results. I just want to say that there is positive news. The enemy will get to hear them first from our soldiers on the front line,” he says.

It’s unclear if he is speaking of newly announced donations of arms and air defense systems.

Reznikov urges Russians opposed to the war to publicly protest and take action rather than making do with statements.

“If you want to mitigate your guilt, active repentance is needed. That is what the law says. So act,” he writes. “Active resistance to this military gamble, and not by posts from a Turkish or Israeli hotel, but on the streets of Russian cities — this is the way to change your place in the list of war criminals.”