Russian offensive: Ukrainian army lacks ammunition

Faced with the Russian army increasing the use of its air force, the Ukrainian commander-in-chief confirmed that his troops were fighting with “little or no weapons and ammunition,” once again calling on the West to deliver them “faster.” . “The defense forces carry out tasks along a vast front line with virtually no weapons or ammunition,” said Alexander Syrsky in a rare interview given to the Ukrainian news agency Ukrinform this Friday.

“A few days ago, the enemy’s advantage in ammunition fired was 6 to 1,” he added, considering that the situation was “tense” in places.

Alexander Syrsky took over as head of the Ukrainian army in February after the dismissal of his very popular predecessor Valery Zaluzhny. According to him, Russia has “significantly increased the activity of its aviation,” using, in particular, guided bombs, “which are destroying our positions.”

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According to the commander-in-chief, “constant bombing” and a lack of ammunition forced his men to retreat from Avdeevka, a fortified city recently conquered by the Russians in the Donetsk region (east).

With more weapons and air defense systems, Ukraine “without a doubt” could retain some lost positions, he assured. Echoing comments from other Ukrainian officials, he called on Western allies to deliver ammunition and weapons “faster and in sufficient quantities.”

Alexander Syrsky also confirmed that the figure of 500 thousand additional soldiers for the army, which President Vladimir Zelensky spoke about in December, has been revised downwards. “After reviewing our internal resources and clarifying the combat strength of the Armed Forces, this figure decreased significantly,” he said. The Ukrainian army is struggling to attract new recruits to replace those long serving at the front, and conscription is the subject of intense social debate.