Ukrainian front line is facing impending collapse
By isabelle // 2024-04-21
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Ukraine's western allies are worried that Russian forces will soon make their way through Ukrainian defensive lines. Now enjoying the upper hand in terms of ammunition, Russian troops are advancing significantly, while Ukrainian forces are struggling due to shortages in personnel as well as delays in military aid from the U.S. and Europe. At the same time, Ukraine is facing a daily barrage of attacks from Russian drones, bombs and missiles. Because Ukraine lacks air defenses, many of these attacks are successfully striking and compromising their military positions, in addition to knocking out vital energy infrastructure. Sources from both the U.S. and Europe told Bloomberg that “concerns are mounting that Russia may make major gains in the coming weeks by punching through overstretched Ukrainian lines.” Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is issuing similar warnings, telling European Union leaders in a recent video address that “the Russian army feels its strength in almost everything related to the armed component. And it is precisely because of this strength – in artillery, in equipment, in the ability to operate in the sky – that they are putting pressure on us at the front and are gradually moving.” Zelensky, as usual, has been pushing for an increase in Western aid and is pressuring the EU to send it the artillery shells that it previously promised to provide. Meanwhile, the aid he has been expecting from the U.S. has been held up as lawmakers stand off about a range of issues. House Speaker Mike Johnson recently announced that a controversial standalone bill on Ukraine aid will be put up for a vote this weekend. Russian forces recently reached the town of Chasov Yar in the Donetsk People's Republic, which is considered a pivotal location for Ukrainian defenses because it sits at a higher elevation. Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu claimed that they have captured more than 400 square kilometers of land from Ukraine so far this year, while the Ukrainian army is losing around 120 units of equipment and 800 personnel every day.

Russian military is placing increasing pressure on Ukrainian forces

The Russian military has reportedly been increasing the pressure on Ukrainian forces, who are dealing with a lack of resources and mental fatigue, as they prepare to seize more Ukrainian land in the coming months. The AP reports that Russian troops will be looking to take advantage of muddy fields drying out so their armored vehicles and tanks can make their way to important positions throughout the countryside. Many feel that a significant ground offensive on the part of the Russians could be risky despite their considerable advantage in terms of personnel and firepower. Moreover, it may not even be necessary as conducting smaller attacks along the front line is effectively draining the Ukrainian military. Although Zelensky ordered his troops to build bunkers and fortifications behind the front line late last year, analysts say that the work has been moving slowly and many areas remain unprotected. One Ukrainian military expert, Oleh Zhdanov, said: “If the defensive lines had been built in advance, the Ukrainians wouldn’t have retreated in such a way. We should have been digging trenches through the fall and it would have stemmed Russian advances. Now everything is exposed, making it very dangerous.” He added that Ukraine simply doesn’t have enough firepower to stave off attacks by Russia on the front line. The head of U.S. European Command, General Christopher Cavoli, said that Ukrainian troops will be outgunned by Russia by a ratio to 10 to 1 in just weeks if their military aid doesn’t come through. Sources for this article include: RT.com APNews.com
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