Photo: Ukrainian Armed Forces via Agence France-Presse Ukraine's Defense Minister Rustem Umerov (left) and new commander-in-chief of the Ukrainian army Oleksandr Syrsky (second from left) talk with other members of the General Staff on Wednesday at an undisclosed location on the Eastern Front.
Daria Andriievska – Agence France-Presse to kyiv
06:57
- Europe
The new Ukrainian commander-in-chief Oleksandr Syrsky judged the situation on the battlefield “extremely complex” on Wednesday, after a first trip to the front, with Ukraine lacking men and weapons in the face of the Russian invader.
These difficulties risk getting worse, with the new American aid envelope, crucial for replenishing the Ukrainian arsenal, being blocked due to divisions in the political class.
kyiv can nevertheless pride itself on continuing to make the Russian fleet suffer in the Black Sea, claiming responsibility for the destruction of yet another ship there on Wednesday. On the same day, NATO highlighted the “heavy losses” inflicted on the Russian navy in the Black Sea, seeing it as “a great success” for the Ukrainian forces.
“The Russian occupiers continue to increase their efforts and outnumber” the Ukrainian forces, General Syrsky said on Telegram, as Ukraine struggles to replenish the ranks of its army, two years after the start of the Russian invasion.
“We are doing everything possible to prevent the enemy from advancing on our territory and to hold our positions,” the new commander in chief stressed, acknowledging that his forces were suffering to contain the multiple Russian assaults in the East.
Mr. Syrsky was appointed to the post last week as Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky called for “changes” after Ukraine’s failed summer 2023 counter-offensive.
For his first visit to the front as commander-in-chief, the general traveled with Defense Minister Roustem Umerov to the areas of Avdiivka and Kupiansk, two of the hottest spots on the Eastern Front.
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“Minimize” losses
“We are taking all possible measures to minimize our losses and save the lives of our soldiers,” he assured, affirming that conversely the Russian army “does not count its losses” in Avdiïvka.
According to the Ukrainian army, some 50,000 Russian soldiers are deployed in the area.
Since October, after Ukraine's major failed counter-offensive, Russian forces have been carrying out massive assaults and bombings to conquer this heavily destroyed industrial city.
The position of the Ukrainian defenders has deteriorated since January and the city's mayor, Vitaly Barabach, recently spoke of a “critical” situation in certain neighborhoods, admitting the first street fights.< /p>
In the Black Sea, on the other hand, where Ukraine succeeded in 2023 in making the powerful Russian fleet retreat using missiles and maritime drones, Kiev once again claimed responsibility for the destruction of an enemy ship.
“The Armed Forces of Ukraine together with military intelligence units destroyed a large landing ship “Caesar Kunikov”,” the Ukrainian General Staff said on Telegram.
Dmitry Peskov, the Kremlin spokesman, declined to comment. Russia very rarely acknowledges its losses.
Ukraine's military intelligence department (GUR) said it used Magura V5 naval drones to strike the boat off Alupka, causing “critical holes” if the boat “started to flow.”
A mother, a son, a pregnant woman
According to the GUR, it is a vessel that can accommodate 87 crew members and which was deployed during the war against Georgia in 2008 and more recently during Russian operations in Syria.
The Russian Defense Ministry did not communicate on this subject, but assured that it had shot down six Ukrainian drones “over the waters of the Black Sea”.
The Telegram channel Rybar, close to the Russian army and followed by more than a million people, reported the attack, while asserting that “the extent of the damage is unknown” .
Moscow's army also continues its strikes on Ukrainian towns near the front. During the night from Tuesday to Wednesday, three people were killed during the bombing that hit a hospital in Selydove, according to local authorities.
The victims are a 36-year-old mother, her nine-year-old son and a 38-year-old pregnant woman.
On the issue of American military aid, Ukraine continues to press its allies to accelerate deliveries of arms and ammunition.
On Tuesday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr declared himself “grateful” to American senators after the vote on a $60 billion package for Ukraine.
But the adoption of this aid is blocked by the Republican leader of the House of Representatives, despite a call from American President Joe Biden to “choose America” against Vladimir's Russia Putin.