“Today the situation is extremely difficult in several parts of the front,” Volodymyr Zelensky admitted in a video message on February 19.
Almost two years to the day after the start of the invasion, the Ukrainian president points to a “lack of artillery, a need for front-line air defense and a greater range of weapons” in the army , while the Russian forces “take advantage” according to him of the Western delays in providing their military aid.
“We have a big staffing problem, we simply lack men.
People lost the enthusiasm they had at the start of the large-scale invasion.
We need big reinforcements, many people here are tired,” testifies a brigade commander, his features drawn with fatigue, from the front.
To compensate for the lack of recruits, the Ukrainian parliament passed a controversial bill which plans, among other things, to simplify enlistment procedures and to increase the minimum age for mobilization from 27 to 25 years.
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While kyiv faces these difficulties, Russia is increasing its attacks to the east and south of the front line.
On February 17, kyiv suffered a major defeat with the capture of Avdiivka after months of fighting.
This is the first major Russian victory since the capture of Bakhmout in May 2023. On February 20, Moscow reassured that it had taken control of the village of Krynky, a bridgehead built with difficulty by Ukraine this summer.
kyiv denies this new loss.