Editorial Ukraine, which is fighting a fierce defense in the Donbass, now urgently needs more weapons

Editorial|Editorial

Russian the attack on Ukraine has recently focused on the eastern part of the country in the Donetsk Basin, the Donbas region. Russia’s goal is to move forward there in order to present some kind of victory to the home public and to give Russia a better position for the next major attack.

Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has demonstrated the weaknesses of the Russian military. Russian troops are now trying to advance in the Donbass with a strong artillery fire. Indeed, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyi said earlier this week that the fighting in the region was “one of the most brutal in European history”. Representatives of Ukraine have said that between 200 and 500 Ukrainian soldiers are killed in the region every day and hundreds are vulnerable.

With its powerful and devastating attack, Russia has gradually taken over more territories from Donbass. However, the resistance of the Ukrainians has been fierce, so the fighting over the strategically important city of Severodonetsk, for example, has continued for a long time.

Russia’s losses have also been large, in addition to which Russia is gaining ground almost entirely for the areas it has already completely destroyed. So Russia is moving forward with the tactics of a scorched country, and there is not much left of Donbass. The plight of civilians is great.

Ukraine the troops have the will and ability to fight, as has been repeatedly seen over the course of the spring. As a nation, the Ukrainians are also in favor of the struggle, which is not at all surprising. Russian forces have already demonstrated in their occupied territories their capacity for gruesome brutality. Ukrainians do not forget the mass graves of Bushan or the coercion of civilians in Mariupol into Russia, so they know what the Russian occupation means.

However, Ukraine is now running out of arms and ammunition. It has become clear in the Donbass, and Ukrainian representatives have not hidden the problem. According to the Ukrainian leadership, the country has one million soldiers armed and could quickly recruit two million more, but without a sufficient number of weapons and ammunition, it will be difficult for Ukraine to maintain its position, let alone recapture it.

The West has supplied armaments and ammunition, but they are widely used in the Donbass. Now they are urgently needed.

The editorials are HS’s statements on a topical issue. The writings are prepared by HS’s editorial staff and reflect the magazine principle.