Ukraine’s new army chief warned Wednesday that the situation on the front lines was “extremely difficult” as delays in much-needed US military help raised doubt on how long Kyiv’s troops could hold out. The 1,000-kilometer (620-mile) front line has scarcely moved in almost a year, with Kyiv’s forces on the defensive following last year’s unsuccessful counter-offensive, and military authorities admitting Russia has a manpower advantage. The threat came as Kyiv announced that it had destroyed another Russian cruiser in the Black Sea, the latest in a series of successful attacks against Russia’s navy.
“The operational environment is quite difficult and stressful. “The Russian occupiers continue to increase their efforts and have a numerical advantage in personnel,” commander-in-chief Oleksandr Syrsky stated on Wednesday. Syrsky was visiting the front lines since taking over for popular Valery Zaluzhny in a significant military shake-up last week. Syrsky, together with Defense Minister Rustem Umerov, had visited forces battling near Avdiivka, a vital flashpoint where Russia is attempting to overrun the city.
Ukraine relies on Western — primarily US — backing to fund and equip its armed forces with shells, bullets, rockets, tanks
“We are doing everything possible to prevent the enemy from advancing deep into our territory,” Syrsky stated in a social media post, adding that his men were operating under “extremely difficult conditions.” Russian military bloggers and local officials have reported that Ukrainian soldiers appear to be conserving ammo as supplies run low. Ukraine relies on Western — primarily US — backing to fund and equip its armed forces with the shells, bullets, rockets, tanks, and air defences required to repel Russian attacks. However, the latest multibillion-dollar aid package has been stalled in the US Congress since last year due to political squabbling, jeopardizing Ukraine’s defensive capacity.
The US Senate authorized $60 billion in funding for Ukraine this week, but it is uncertain whether the House of Representatives would accept it. Kyiv has insisted on standing firm in the face of a renewed Russian attack, despite concerns about the future of Western backing. “Despite the difficult situation, Ukraine’s defence forces are inflicting significant losses on the enemy,” Syrsky told a news conference on Wednesday. One of those losses appeared to occur in the Black Sea overnight, as Ukraine claimed to have sunk a Russian cruiser off the southern coast of Crimea.
Kyiv’s military intelligence unit and armed forces claimed to have “destroyed” the Caesar Kunikov landing ship
Kyiv’s military intelligence unit and armed forces claimed to have “destroyed” the Caesar Kunikov landing ship in an attack employing naval drones. The attacks caused “critical holes on the left side, and (the ship) began to sink,” according to the GUR intelligence agency. It released video footage of what it claimed was a naval drone approaching the Russian ship before a bomb and a massive fire could be seen. Russia’s military ministry did not remark, as it normally does not reply to Ukrainian claims of successful operations. However, Russian military bloggers with intimate ties to the armed forces said that Ukrainian forces most likely hit the ship.
As the combat on land has come to a halt, Ukraine has achieved victory in the Black Sea, sinking four Russian vessels near the occupied peninsula of Crimea and reopening a commercial shipping channel for its agricultural exports. “Time after time, the Black Sea fleet has proven to be incompetent and incapable of repelling attacks from Ukrainian formations,” screamed the Rybar Telegram channel, one of the largest pro-war Russian accounts. Separately, Ukrainian officials said that a Russian rocket strike on a hospital killed at least three people, including a pregnant mother and a kid. According to Ukraine’s general prosecutor, the attack in the eastern town of Selydove murdered a 38-year-old pregnant lady, another woman, and her nine-year-old kid. Approximately 12 persons, including a six-month-old child, were also injured in the strike.