Yuri Sak, an adviser to Ukraine's defense minister, told Newsmax Thursday that Russia's war against Ukraine "is a trench war" that is "reminiscent of the seeds from World War I."
"Russia is throwing everything they have at the cities of Soledar and Bakhmut," Sak said during an appearance on Newsmax's "American Agenda." "The fields around these cities are literally littered with Russian corpses. Russians have no regard for the life of their own soldiers. They're using them as cannon fodder.
"The damage that Russia is doing is very critical and significant because, you know, they have already carried out over 10 massive missile strikes," he said. "They're using ballistic missiles; they're using the Iranian drones to destroy our energy infrastructure. And as we speak, our general staff of the Ukrainian Armed Forces is issuing a warning to the Ukrainian people that another massive missile strike is on the cards and we should be expecting it."
Sak said Moscow is also lying to the world about having the upper hand in the conflict.
"They're playing the propaganda game, trying to convince the world that they are gaining ground, that they're getting control, which is not true," he said. "But, having said that, we have to understand that this is a very critical situation and our military command is fully in control.
"They're assessing all the options that the Ukrainian army has, and the difference between the Ukrainian army and the enemy is that we value the life of our soldiers," Sak continued. "This is why we will take decisions accordingly, depending on how the situation will develop."
The Ukrainian adviser also expressed gratitude for the substantial aid that the U.S. has given to Ukraine, including the Patriot missile defense system.
"I would like to take this opportunity to, on behalf of the Ukrainian people, thank the American people, the American taxpayers, for all the support that we have been receiving since day one of this war," Sak said. "I cannot begin to describe to you how much this means to us.
"The Ukrainian servicemen are already en route to the U.S. to begin the training [on the Patriot system]," he continued. "Of course, it will take some weeks, maybe a bit more. But at the same time, this will ensure that we are able to increase the peace and security of our cities because Patriot systems are some of the most sophisticated air defense systems in the world. They will complement our existing air defense capabilities, and for this we are thankful."
Two U.S. officials familiar with the matter told CNN that the Ukrainians will begin training on how to use the Patriot missile system as soon as next week. The training will take place over several months at Fort Sill in Oklahoma.
The U.S. announced it would send the sophisticated surface-to-air missile defense system to Ukraine when Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy visited Washington, D.C., in late December.
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