Ukrainian defense minister says main counteroffensive event ‘yet to come’

ANKARA (AA) - Ukrainian Defense Minister Oleksiy Reznikov said Wednesday that "the main event of the counteroffensive is yet to come."

He said taking back several villages was not Kyiv's main goal.

“When it happens, you will all see it,” he told the US Financial Times newspaper. “Everyone will see everything.”

The minister said troops are currently being trained in the Western countries and will be equipped with modern NATO tanks, armored vehicles and they will later join the battle.

Reznikov argued that last weekend’s mutiny by the Wagner paramilitary group "had laid bare the fundamental weakness" of the power of Russian authorities.

He also expressed hope that the uprising "would encourage Western capitals to further boost the supply of weapons to help Kyiv towards victory."

Reznikov urged NATO to give "a clear signal" regarding Ukraine's accession to NATO, pointing out that it was "the only country in the world that had battlefield experience" against Russians and it did it with NATO weapons.

"What other argument is needed to invite Ukraine to NATO?" he asked.

Ukraine claimed Monday that its forces achieved tactical successes after making advances against Russia, liberating 130 square kilometers (50 square miles) of territory since the start of its counteroffensive earlier this month.

Independent confirmation of those claims and counterclaims is difficult due to the ongoing war.

A NATO summit is expected in Lithuania's capital of Vilnius on July 11 - 12.