The Ukrainian army could soon withdraw from several sectors of the front because there are no more ammunition left in some areas. The blockade in the USA is having a drastic effect.
Donbass – Devastating news from the Ukraine front: Reports are increasing that the Ukrainian troops in the defensive fight against the Russian invasion army of Kremlin autocrat Vladimir Putin could foreseeably give up several sections of the front in order to move into new fortifications deeper in the country.
Against the Russian army in the Ukraine war: Kiev's soldiers have to stockpile artillery shells
The reason for this: a significant and acute shortage of artillery ammunition. According to the American news magazine Forbes The fact that ammunition deliveries from the USA expired on December 31, 2023 is already having an impact because Donald Trump's Republicans in Congress are blocking a planned arms package worth $61 billion for the Ukraine war.
Germany is trying to equip the Ukrainian army with tanks for large units. But: That will take (at least) months. And: While Kremlin autocrat Vladimir Putin wants to mobilize large parts of the Russian population, a power struggle has broken out in Kiev between President Volodymyr Zelensky and commander-in-chief Valeriy Zalushny. The Ukrainian soldiers, on the other hand, are collecting remaining artillery shells in the trenches.
Russian troops are putting pressure on: Ukrainians are strong on the defensive near Kupyansk
Loud Süddeutscher Zeitung (SZ) Ukrainian artillerymen report that on some days they only have smoke grenades at their disposal. In particular, there is said to be a drastic shortage of 155 mm grenades, the standard ammunition for NATO guns. Hurry would be loud SZ therefore fortifications were built. These are probably positions behind the front for individual, orderly retreats.
Worrying: How ntv.de As reported at the beginning of January, the Ukrainians in the northeast near Kupyansk only hold a limited strip of land east of the Oskil River. This has been going on for weeks. However, it is unclear how well the hinterland towards the city of Kharkiv (around 1.5 million inhabitants) is secured. Kupyansk is not only a strategically important railway junction, the P07 national road also runs from here to just outside the gates of Kharkiv.
Russian artillery superiority: Ukraine army has to withdraw in isolated cases
The Russian superiority in artillery shells has long been said to exceed the Ukrainian capabilities by a ratio of five to one – every day. How Forbes writes, the Russian artillery units are now supposed to concentrate their fire on Ukrainian positions without a care in the world because they have no concerns that massive amounts of fire will be fired back.
“In January alone, Frontelligence Insight recorded over 14 concentrations of artillery and enemy forces. Our investigation suggests that this resurgence is a sign that fear is waning among Russian troops, possibly fueled by renewed ammunition shortages on the Ukrainian side,” they wrote Forbes the analysts from the Ukrainian research group Frontelligence Insight on the situation at the front. The Russians are currently advancing meter by meter, reports SZ.
Ukraine War: Russian army advances near Bakhmut, Avdiivka and Mariinka
Like that Institute for the Study of War (ISW) most recently wrote, “Russian forces made recently confirmed advances near Kupiansk, Kreminna and Avdiivka, engaging in continued trench warfare along the entire line of contact.” As the much-quoted (and obviously well-informed) US think tank reported in its situation report of February 4th, the Russian armed forces also made confirmed advances near Bakhmut, Avdiivka and Mariinka and continued trench warfare along the entire front line. According to the report, an encirclement of the small town of Avdiivka in Donbass is becoming increasingly likely.
At the beginning of February, the European Union (EU) admitted that it would not be able to deliver a total of one million artillery shells to Kiev by the end of March. According to foreign affairs representative Josep Borrell, only a third of this goal has been achieved so far. The production capacities in the EU countries are not yet sufficient, he explained. American media reported around the turn of the year that the Ukrainian army's artillery supplies were likely to be affected most quickly by the blockade of US military aid. (pm)
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