Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, Oleksandr Syrskyi, spoke online at the ‘Ukraine. Year 2025’ forum, held on the eve of the third anniversary of Russia’s large-scale invasion of Ukraine and 11 years after the beginning of Russia’s aggression and occupation of Crimea.
He emphasized that the aggressor’s ultimate goal remains unchanged: the seizure of all of Ukraine. Currently, Russia is seeking to push Ukrainian forces out of the eastern and southern regions and reach their administrative borders. However, even after three years of war, these plans remain unfulfilled.
“Our task is to fight and defeat the enemy. And we are fulfilling this task,” Syrskyi said, highlighting the remarkable resilience and sacrifice of the Ukrainian military, who serve as a reliable shield for the democratic world.
He also expressed gratitude to Western partners for their ongoing support, particularly for the supply of weapons, armored vehicles, ammunition, and other essential equipment used on the battlefield. However, Syrskyi acknowledged that the supply situation remains challenging and expressed hope that necessary decisions would be made to provide the Defence Forces with critical equipment.
The Commander-in-Chief also stressed the importance of adapting to modern high-tech warfare, strengthening the army from within, and generating effective asymmetric solutions. In particular, Syrskyi noted that Ukrainian troops are holding hundreds of square kilometers in the Kursk region, increasing the use of unmanned aerial vehicles, and conducting Deep Strikes against the enemy.
Concluding his remarks, Syrskyi reassured that despite the new challenges, Ukraine has a capable army that continues to fight for a just peace.