Ukraine war: Russia will be victorious in its offensive, ready to fight until Polish border, vows ex-president

Former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev vowed on Friday (February 24) that Moscow would be victorious in its offensive in Ukraine, and was ready to fight until the Polish border to counter threats. Taking to Telegram, Medvedev, who is currently the head of Russia's security council, said that victory would be achieved. Medvedev predicted that tough negotiations with Kyiv and the West would follow that would culminate in some kind of agreement.

However, he said the deal would lack fundamental agreements on real borders and not amount to an over-arching European security pact, making it important for Moscow to extend its borders now.

"This is why it is so important to reach all the goals of the special military operation. To push back the borders of the threats against our country as far as possible, even if this is to the borders of Poland," he further said on Telegram.

Poland has supported Ukraine since the beginning of Moscow's offensive and confirmed on Friday that it would be delivering the first Leopard tanks to the war-torn country. Poland shares long eastern borders with Ukraine and Belarus (an ally of Russia), and a frontier of around 200 kilometres in its northeastern corner with the Russian exclave of Kaliningrad.

A report by the news agency Reuters on Friday said that any encroachment on Poland's borders would bring Russia for the first time into direct conflict with NATO. Two days back, United States President Joe Biden vowed to defend every inch of NATO territory if it was attacked.

"The commitment of the United States to NATO ... is absolutely clear. Article 5 is a sacred commitment the United States has made. We will defend literally every inch of NATO, every inch of NATO," Biden said during his speech in Warsaw on Wednesday.

On war anniversary, Ukraine preparing for counter offensive: Minister

Ukraine's Defence Minister Oleksiy Reznikov said that his forces were making plans to push the Russian military out of the country, the news agency AFP reported. Speaking to the armed forces, Reznikov said that a year back, it was difficult for Kyiv to get serious weapons.

"Today, civilised countries see that you are the shield of Europe in the east. There will be a counteroffensive. We are working hard to prepare and secure it," Reznikov added.

(With inputs from agencies)

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