Ukraine is ready to launch its long-awaited counteroffensive to recapture territory occupied by Russia, President Volodymyr Zelensky said in an interview published on Saturday.

"We strongly believe that we will succeed," Zelenski told The Wall Street Journal.

"I don't know how long it will take." To be honest, it could go in different ways, completely different. But we will do it and we are ready."

Kiev hopes a counteroffensive to regain territory will change the dynamics of the war that has been raging since Russia invaded its smaller neighbor 15 months ago.

Zelensky said last month that Ukraine should wait for more Western armored vehicles to arrive before launching a counteroffensive. He has been under diplomatic pressure to retain Western support, demanding more military aid and weapons, which are crucial for Ukraine to succeed in its plans.

Russia holds parts of Ukrainian territory in the east, south and southeast.

Prolonged dry weather in some parts of Ukraine has fueled expectations that a counteroffensive may be imminent. Over the past few weeks, Ukraine has increased its attacks on Russian ammunition depots and logistics routes.

On Saturday, the Ukrainian military announced in a daily report that Marinka in the Donetsk region in the east was the focus of the fighting. Ukrainian forces repelled all 14 attacks by Russian troops there, the report said.