In an interview with The Washington Post, Valeriy Zaluzhnyi, the Commander-in-Chief, expressed his irritation at hearing that the counteroffensive had started slower than expected, stating that their troops were advancing every day, even if it was only 500 meters. He went on to say that Ukraine needs more weapons of every kind in order to make the counteroffensive go faster. He emphasized that this is not a show that the whole world is watching and placing bets on, but rather that every day and every meter is given in blood. He also mentioned that while several Western tanks and armored vehicles were destroyed on the battlefield, they were not acquired to drive in parades, but rather to fight the war. Lastly, he stated that while a Leopard at the front is just a target, they need shells and F-16s.