Ukraine struggling in Donbass, Zelensky blames West for lack of aid
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Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky highlights the difficulty of the situation for Ukraine on the frontlines with Russia.
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Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky addresses a media conference at the Palace of the Grand Dukes of Lithuania during the Three Seas Initiative Summit and Business Forum in Vilnius, on Thursday, April 11, 2024. (AP)
Volodymyr Zelensky, the president of Ukraine, has admitted that the situation on the frontline with Russia is deteriorating, pointing fingers at the West for its “limited” military assistance.
As Russian forces targeted Ukrainian positions near the cities of Lyman and Artyomovsk, known as Bakhmut by Ukraine, and advanced towards Chasov Yar, the Ukrainian Army's commander-in-chief, Oleksandr Syrsky, warned in a statement earlier of significant escalations in recent days, which was reiterated by Zelensky.
Speaking to the Ukrainian nation on April 14, he said, "The situation on the front during a hot war is always difficult. But these days – and especially in the Donetsk areas – it’s getting harder."
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In an attempt to praise modern air defense systems, Zelensky referenced the Iranian retaliatory attack on "Israel" by saying "Modern air power proves its effectiveness, modern air defense systems are capable of protecting lives – this was demonstrated in the Middle East."
He added that the West is turning a deaf ear to Ukraine’s pleas for more funding.
As he criticized the US Congress for stalling the proposed aid package which includes Ukraine, Zelensky said, "The whole world sees what real defense is. It seems that it is feasible."
Ukrainian commander-in-chief said
Ukraine's Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrsky revealed on April 13 that "The situation on the eastern front has deteriorated significantly in recent days," noting that Russia is in possession of superior weapons.
The situation around the eastern front city of Chasiv Yar is "difficult and tense" as it is under "constant fire"; the city is located 20 kilometers west of Bakhmut.
"The enemy is actively attacking our positions in the Lyman and Bakhmut sectors with assault groups supported by armored vehicles. In the Pokrovsk sector, they are trying to break through our defense using dozens of tanks and armored personnel carriers," Syrsky stressed, noting that Russia is "stepping up its efforts by deploying new armored units, which periodically achieves tactical success.
He expressed that garnering "technical superiority over the enemy in high-tech weapons has again arisen. Only this will enable us to defeat a larger enemy and create conditions for seizing the strategic initiative."
According to the official, "The second serious problem is to improve the quality of training of military personnel, especially infantry units so that they can make the most of all the capabilities of military equipment and Western weapons."
