Ukraine withdraws troops from 3 villages in the east, Zelensky demands weapons
Kyiv, Ukraine:
Ukraine’s top commander said on Sunday that more of Kiev’s troops had returned to new positions west of three villages on the eastern front, where Russia has concentrated significant forces in several locations.
Colonel General Oleksandr Syrsky’s statement reflects a worsening situation in Ukraine in the east that Kiev hopes can stabilize after taking delivery of US weapons under a $61 billion aid package approved this week.
“The situation at the front has worsened,” Sirsky wrote on the Telegram app, describing the “most difficult” areas as west of occupied Maryinka and northwest of Avdeevka, a town captured by Russian forces in February. Is.
President Volodymyr Zelensky issued a new appeal to international partners to accelerate arms deliveries so that Kiev can maintain its position and disrupt Russian plans.
He said he spoke with U.S. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries on Sunday and “emphasised that the Patriot system is needed, and as soon as possible.”
Kiev’s troops have taken up new positions at the villages of Berdichi and Semenivka, west of Berdichi and Semenivka, north of Avdiivka, and Novomikhailivka to the south, near the town of Maryinka, Sirsky said.
“Generally, the enemy achieved some tactical successes in these areas, but could not gain operational advantages,” he said. He said Russia had committed four brigades to the attack.
He said recently rested Ukrainian brigades were being rotated into those areas to replace units that had suffered losses.
His statement did not mention the situation in Novobakhmutivka, another village near Berdichi, which Russia’s Defense Ministry said on Sunday its forces had captured.
Taking advantage of artillery shells and Ukrainian shortages of manpower, Moscow’s troops have been slowly advancing since capturing the fortress town of Avdiivka.
Online battlefield maps produced by open-source intelligence analysts show that since capturing Avdiivka they have advanced more than 15 km (9.5 mi) in the direction of the village of Ocheretyn.
Further ahead, the Kiev-held city of Chasiv Yar is a key emerging battlefield because of its position on high ground that can serve as a gateway to the cities of Kostiantynivka, Sloviansk and Kramatorsk.
Sirsky described Chasiv Yar and the village of Ivanivske to its north-east as “the hottest spots” on that part of the front. Russia’s Defense Ministry said it had repelled Ukrainian counter-attacks near Chasiv Yar.
Kharkiv buildup
In what could prove worrying for Ukraine, Syrsky said his forces are closely monitoring the increase in the number of Russian troops in the area of Kharkiv, Ukraine’s second-largest city.
The northeastern city of 1.3 million, just 30 kilometers from the Russian border, has been devastated by air strikes in recent months in what Kiev has said is a deliberate effort by Moscow to make Kharkiv uninhabitable.
Sirsky said there are indications that Russia is preparing a direct attack in the north of the country.
“In the most dangerous directions, our troops have been reinforced by artillery and tank units,” he said.
Ukraine is currently expecting a long-awaited shipment of US military aid, which officials say is vital to staving off Russia’s two-year-old aggression. Zelensky said Ukrainian and US teams were working on the “specific text” of a 10-year security agreement that would include weapons and other aid.
A Ukrainian intelligence source told Reuters this week that Russia was carrying out airstrikes on Ukrainian rail lines to disrupt US arms deliveries to the front lines and complicate military logistics.
(This story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)