Born: 'The war in Ukraine could last years'

"The war in Ukraine could last for years".

This was said by NATO secretary general,

in an interview published today by the German newspaper Bild.

"We have to be prepared for it to last years," he said, suggesting "not to weaken support for Ukraine, even if the costs are high, not only in terms of military support, but also due to rising energy prices. and food ".

However, according to Stoltenberg, "the costs of food and fuel are nothing compared to those paid daily by Ukrainians on the front line. Moreover, if Russian President Vladimir Putin were to achieve his goals in Ukraine, such as when he annexed Crimea in 2014 , "we should pay an even greater price," he warned. In this context, the NATO secretary general urged alliance countries to continue arms deliveries to Kiev. "With additional modern weapons, the likelihood that Ukraine being able to push Putin's troops back from the Donbass would increase, "he said. The region of eastern Ukraine is currently partly under the control of Russian forces.

"

."

This was stated by the Ukrainian president, Volodymyr

, in a

, after returning from his surprise visit yesterday in the south of the country, in Mykolaiv and Odessa, the two strategic centers on the Black Sea, where he met the troops.

"We will not give the south away to anyone, we will return all that is ours and the sea will be Ukrainian and safe", says Zelensky addressing his people.

The president added that he spoke with the troops and police during the visit.

"Their mood is confident and there is no doubt in their eyes that Ukraine will win the war against the Russian invaders," he said.

Zelensky: 'We will not give the south away to anyone'

Meanwhile Sergiy Gaiday, the governor of

, the region of eastern Ukraine, the scene of heavy fighting with Russia, said the current situation is "difficult in the city of Lysychansk and in the region as a whole" as the Russians are bombing. our troops 24 hours a day. There is - said Gaiday - an expression: prepare for the worst and the best will come by itself: we must prepare ".

From Lysychansk, Ukrainian artillery is firing at Severodonetsk, where smoke rises from the Azot factory and Russian troops fire bullets and rockets.

Gaiday called for supplies of "long-range weapons to arrive as soon as possible".

"The fact that the West is helping us is good, but it's (too) late."

"Ukrainian forces have probably defected in recent weeks, but Russia's morale is likely to remain particularly unstable. There have been cases of entire Russian units refusing orders and clashes between officers and their troops," according to the

.

"Many Russian personnel from all ranks are also likely to remain confused about the war's objectives. The morale problems in Russian troops are likely to be so significant that they limit Russia's ability to achieve operational objectives."

The Ukrainian army said the besieged city of Severodonetsk once again faced heavy artillery and rocket fire as Russian forces attacked surrounding areas.

The army general staff in its bulletin, as reported by the Guardian, acknowledged that its forces have suffered a setback in the settlement of Metolkine, just southeast of Severodonetsk, as the battle for the industrial city continues. of eastern Ukraine.

"Following artillery fire and an assault, the enemy achieved partial success in the village of Metolkine, trying to get a foothold," he said in a Facebook post.

Sergei Gaidai, the Ukrainian-appointed governor of Luhansk, spoke of "tough battles" in another online post.

"And what if the EU also disappears by then? It makes me think about what scandal, what sacrifices have been made on the altar of EU membership and what deception of the expectations of unhappy Ukrainians? In order not to bring bad luck ... ".

The former prime minister and former Russian president, now vice president of the Security Council of the Russian Federation, Dmitri Medvedev, returns to attack on Telegram threatening Europe in a post where he analyzes Ukraine's EU accession process.

Ukrainians will be under "scrutiny for decades. Therefore, the real deadline is mid-century. Not before," he said.