April 30, 2023 Russia-Ukraine news

By Sophie Tanno, Thom Poole, Maureen Chowdhury, Mike Hayes and Matt Meyer, CNN

Updated 1:15 a.m. ET, May 1, 2023
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4:41 a.m. ET, April 30, 2023

Zelensky says counteroffensive "will happen," but not ready to say when

From CNN's Kostan Nechyporenko and Chris Liakos

President Zelensky speaks at a news conference in Warsaw on April 5.
President Zelensky speaks at a news conference in Warsaw on April 5. (Aleksandra Szmigiel/Reuters/FILE)

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said in an interview posted Saturday that a highly anticipated counteroffensive against Russian troops is in the works and "will happen."

"There will be a counteroffensive," Zelensky said, while speaking to reporters from Finland, Denmark, Sweden and Norway. A video of the interview was shared to his Telegram account.

We are preparing for it. It will happen," he said.

Zelensky said he believes in the mission's success and that "we will be able to de-occupy our territories."

But the Ukrainian president said he is "not ready to say in detail when it will happen and how."

Ukraine is still in need of "certain weapons," he said, and the main risk for his troops is whether they will have enough of the ammunition they need.

"Weapons are decisive in the moments of de-occupation," Zelensky said.

Some background: Ukraine has made extraordinary efforts to conceal the start of its strategically vital counteroffensive.

Ukraine’s Deputy Defense Minister Hanna Maliar stated last week that the counteroffensive would not be announced.

Much of the focus of recent speculation centers on the southern Zaporizhzhia region, where Kyiv's forces could attempt to separate the Russia-annexed peninsula of Crimea from occupied territory in eastern Ukraine and the Russian mainland.

CNN's Nick Paton Walsh contributed to this report.

4:41 a.m. ET, April 30, 2023

Ukraine isn't the only force gearing up for Kyiv's counteroffensive. Here's how Russia is preparing

From CNN's Tim Lister

Russia has had nearly six months to prepare the ground for Ukraine's anticipated counteroffensive this spring, building an elaborate array of defenses in occupied territory near the front lines.

Breaking through will present a huge challenge for Kyiv's troops, with obstacles extending hundreds of miles across the meandering southern front – where Ukrainian forces are expected to concentrate their attacks in the coming weeks.

Satellite imagery reviewed by CNN and other news organizations shows the extent of Russia's defenses: layers of anti-tank ditches, obstacles, minefields and trenches.

The challenge for Ukrainian troops will be to bypass or overcome such obstacles at speed, creating momentum that causes Russian command and control to melt down.

Months of preparation: Ground defenses began to appear after Russian forces withdrew from part of the Kherson region in November, and they essentially established a new defensive line stretching across largely rural areas of southern Ukraine.

The defenses, including concrete "dragons' teeth" tank obstacles, are only as good as the Russian forces assigned to each sector. On their own, they are a limited impediment.

Moscow has pushed more units into southern Ukraine over recent weeks, but it remains to be seen how many Russian troops – and of what quality – are assigned to each section of such a long front line.

No surprises: Ukrainian officials have acknowledged that unlike last September’s sudden sweep through much of the northeastern Kharkiv region, they may lack the element of surprise in any larger counteroffensive.

Ukraine does have the advantage of choosing where and when to go, and with what concentration of forces. Once the assault begins, other factors could come into play: everything from the weather to Russia’s capacity and desire to counterattack, plus aerial fighting.

Read more and view satellite images of Russia's defenses here.