Mykhailo Podoliak is an adviser to the Ukrainian Presidential Office. In the DW interview, he defends President Zelenskyy's personnel policy and explains how Ukraine can win the war against Russia.
Mykhailo Podoliak during the interview with DW
DW: Mr. Podoliak, more than five months ago the Russian attack on Ukraine began. Do you feel war-weary in yourself personally, in society, in the military?
Mykhailo Podoliak: It is not correct to speak of tiredness. It is war and there must be no fatigue. The basic goal of Russia is the destruction of Ukrainian statehood. This great goal has failed. Therefore, there is another goal – to conquer and destroy as many areas of Ukraine as possible.
Fatigue is more of a media illusion that journalists talk about. Our society will definitely go to the end (and do everything to win – editor's note) because it understands the consequences of defeat. The European public will most certainly be there to the end, as they increasingly understand the risks should Russia remain as it is – as an aggressive, expansionist, chauvinist state.
“Russia is not Europe”
However, the European public fears a cold winter if gas supplies from Russia are stopped.
The European public is aware of all the risks that war entails. But she rejects Russia's energy monopoly. That is, it shows understanding that Russia cannot be a partner. Ending this energy dependency requires overcoming certain difficulties and Europe stands ready to do so.
Turning away from Russian natural gas is a costly undertaking for many European countries
This war came about because Russia was not punished in 2008 when it invaded sovereign Georgia and seized part of its territory. Nor was Russia punished when it annexed Crimea in 2014 and seized part of the Donetsk and Luhansk regions. Back then, one should have been more principled and abandoned the concept that Russia is part of Europe. Russia is not Europe. Today the world understands this thanks to Ukraine, which is paying a heavy price for it.
Let's talk about one of the recent events in Ukraine, the dismissal of Iryna Venediktova from the post of Prosecutor General and Ivan Bakanov from the post of head of the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU). Why did you come to this decision now?
I see no problem with the layoffs. For us, the prosecutor's office is important to document all crimes committed by Russia in Ukraine. This is a very big task that has to be done as effectively as possible and must not degenerate into a show, but should lead to international court cases. There have been changes at the top and in the regions in the SBU because the secret service work is being conducted more aggressively got to. It's about preventing separatism. In a civilized society, changing one manager or another isn't a conspiracy, it's just an attempt to find more effective leaders.
HIMARS have struggles “considerably changed”
A few weeks ago, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyj announced a counter-offensive in the south of the country. Why might this be successful?
Details can only be given by the General Staff and the Supreme Commander. I cannot comment on when and how an offensive or counter-offensive will take place. Of course there will be for sure. After all, you can't just leave the areas to Russia.
So the counter-offensive hasn't started yet?
It's been going on all along. Russian forces are paying a very high price for a kilometer advance through Ukrainian territory. This is very good because it wears down the Russian army.
The US truck-based HIMARS missile system (Archive image)
At the same time, we received HIMARS (High Mobility Artillery Rocket System, US multiple rocket launchers, ed.), which significantly changed the picture of the battles compared to the first two months. The Russian artillery hit many of our positions because they still had an intact logistics chain. The Russian artillery fired up to 50,000 rounds a day. The shelling has dropped to a fifth or sixth since deploying the HIMARS, which can destroy logistics centers and ammunition depots. If the capabilities of our long-range artillery, including rocket launchers, improve, Russia will leave our territory faster.
We saw a concrete example of such “good will” on Snake Island. (The Russian armed forces had described their retreat from the Snake Island in the Black Sea after Ukrainian attacks as a “sign of good will”, editor's note.) Another example could soon become the legendary Antonivka Bridge in the Cherson region. As soon as it becomes impassable, Russia will again make a “goodwill gesture” and leave Kherson.
Watch the video 02:43
Russia's retreat from Snake Island
If If the balance of power changes so much, do you see a reason to talk about resuming negotiations with Russia?
No, there is no reason. Russia lives in another world, in the make-believe world of a big country. In reality, Russia is a small, worthless country with little intellectual potential. It has only nuclear weapons, a vast array of conventional weapons and fuel. They only know the language of ultimatums. They do not conduct negotiations, as is usual in diplomacy. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov says the goals of the so-called “military operation” have changed. Allegedly, they now claim not only the so-called “People's Republics”, but also other territories of Ukraine possible?
Strong tactical victories of the Ukrainian army in the southern and eastern directions. These are Kherson, Berdyansk, the entrance to the Sea of Azov, the recapture of Mariupol. It is not just about a tactical retreat of the Russian army, but about destroying a maximum of forces and equipment. So that society in Russia asks itself: “What is such a price paid to people for?” Therefore, Russia must be defeated militarily before we sit down at the negotiating table ;released.
Adapted from the Ukrainian by Markian Ostapchuk.