Lalrp.org: 
He mentioned that he determined to talk out, regardless of the dangers, hoping america would guarantee higher coaching for Ukrainian troopers, together with some who’ve gone into battle with out realizing find out how to throw a grenade or deal with their weapons. Some deserted their positions whereas beneath Russian hearth, he mentioned within the interview.
Kupol’s obvious punishment has spurred outrage amongst some in Ukraine, who say his feedback mirrored a obligatory fact that Ukrainian leaders are unwilling to listen to.
Kupol voiced his issues as Russian and Ukrainian forces are locked in a grinding artillery battle with neither aspect seemingly sturdy sufficient to make critical territorial positive factors. Russian leaders are insisting that their battle goals, together with the seizure of 4 southeast Ukrainian areas, will likely be achieved. Ukraine is making ready for what many analysts anticipate will likely be a spring counteroffensive that can require vital manpower and ammunition to push Russian forces out of territory they management.
Kupol and different navy personnel have warned that job will likely be extraordinarily troublesome with so lots of Ukraine’s most skilled fighters now wounded or killed. Ukraine retains its casualties secret however U.S. and European officers have estimated as many as 120,000 lifeless and wounded. Russia is believed to have misplaced about 200,000 however has a a lot bigger inhabitants.
“These are precisely the sort of folks we want on the entrance,” Oleksiy Goncharenko, a member of Ukraine’s parliament, wrote on his Telegram channel about Kupol. “He emphasised within the interview that the troopers ought to be educated even higher. In fact, the higher ready a warrior is, the higher he fights. What’s improper right here? I imagine that this story ought to be publicized.”
One other lawmaker, Volodymyr Ariev, wrote on Facebook: “This authorities needs to listen to solely what they need.”
Yuri Butusov, a outstanding Ukrainian battle reporter, mentioned that Kupol’s troops are those who will undergo from his departure. Butusov expressed hope that Kupol can be reinstated and that the navy management can be keen to listen to arduous truths.
“We’ve got to defeat Russia each on the entrance and in our minds — and as a substitute of shutting our mouths, now we have to start out considering and appearing to enhance ourselves day by day,” Butusov posted on Facebook
About 100 of the five hundred troops in Kupol’s battalion have been killed over the past 12 months, and 400 others have been wounded, he mentioned. The mass casualties left him answerable for new, inexperienced troops despatched as replacements. Their superiors anticipated them to deploy instantly to the nation’s most harmful entrance strains, he mentioned, regardless of an apparent lack of coaching or expertise.
Kupol mentioned his unit withdrew this winter from the salt mining city of Soledar, after many troops preventing alongside him deserted their positions. He additionally described a scarcity of fundamental ammunition. Soledar was captured by Russia and stays occupied.
Ukrainian navy and authorities officers didn’t instantly reply on Thursday night to request for touch upon Kupol’s obvious demotion or resignation.
Within the interview, Kupol had acknowledged that his remarks may end in disciplinary measures. “As a patriot of my nation, I’m frightened about my nation. That’s all,” he mentioned within the interview.
“Have you learnt what the issue is with our commanders?” he added. “They’ve a slender circle, which doesn’t ship dangerous information to them. They filter out the dangerous information.”
Khurshudyan reported from New York. Serhiy Morgunov in Kyiv contributed to this report.
