Syrskyi says battlefield results will determine Kyiv's position in talks
The outcome of negotiations to end Russia's war against Ukraine will depend heavily on the battlefield situation, making the military's performance decisive in determining Kyiv's negotiating position, former Ukrainian Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi said in an interview with BBC Ukrainian published on Oct. 13.
Former Ukrainian Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi stated in a recent BBC Ukrainian interview that the outcome of negotiations to end Russia's war against Ukraine will be heavily influenced by the battlefield situation. According to Syrskyi, negotiations can proceed when Ukraine is not losing overall and the front line situation is stable, or when Ukraine can negotiate on equal terms with the enemy suffering significant losses.
He estimated that Russian forces were losing around 1,500 troops daily, though this figure could not be independently verified.
Syrskyi emphasized that progress in ending the war depended on various factors, including Ukrainian resilience, continued support from international partners and allies, and the resilience of the country's industrial capabilities and financial resources. He noted that war extends beyond just a contest between armies, involving technologies, industrial capabilities, financial resources, and the support of coalitions.
The former commander-in-chief acknowledged that Ukraine's ability to resist Russia's invasion was a significant achievement. He stated that holding back Russia's advance, which could potentially spread towards Europe, was a remarkable feat for Ukraine and its people. When asked about Ukraine's position in talks, Syrskyi declined to definitively say whether Ukraine was winning or losing, highlighting that the war against an enemy with overwhelming advantages in resources had been ongoing for nearly five years.
Looking ahead, Syrskyi predicted that advanced technology would play an increasingly prominent role in all areas of warfare due to the expansion of conflicts into space, cyberspace, air, land, sea, and even underground domains. He warned against dismissing conventional weapons and armored vehicles, as both Ukraine and Russia were developing active protection systems for armored vehicles.
If successful, these technologies could give tanks and other armored vehicles a new role on the battlefield, transforming mechanized warfare tactics with individual vehicles becoming sophisticated systems that combine passive armor with active defenses.
Syrskyi also touched upon his disagreements with former Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov, as discussed in the same BBC interview.
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