(Kyiv) The NATO Secretary General, visiting Kyiv, and the Ukrainian president insisted on Monday on the need to deliver more Western weapons to Ukraine, with Russian soldiers taking advantage of failures in Western assistance to advance on the front.
Since the failure of their counter-offensive in the summer of 2023, the Ukrainians have been on the defensive. Russia has taken the initiative and is gaining ground in the east, despite heavy losses since the start of the year, facing a Ukrainian army lacking men and ammunition.
At the same time, the Russian military carries out almost daily missile and drone strikes on Ukrainian cities and infrastructure. To repel these attacks, Kyiv is asking the West for more anti-aircraft defense means.
On Monday, again, a missile attack on Odessa, a large Black Sea port vital for Ukrainian exports, left at least four dead and 28 injured, according to an updated report communicated on Telegram by regional governor Oleg Kiper.
“Four injured are in serious condition, doctors are fighting for their lives,” said Mr. Kiper, adding that “residential buildings and (other) civilian infrastructure” had suffered damage during this attack. .
According to images broadcast by Ukrainian media, a seaside building belonging to the Odessa Legal Academy and known to resemble a small castle in particular caught fire.
In this difficult context, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg visited the Ukrainian capital on Monday, where he met President Volodymyr Zelensky.
“Significant delays in support have serious consequences on the battlefield,” admitted Mr. Stoltenberg, an allusion to the considerable delay in American and European deliveries of military equipment.
“But it is not too late for Ukraine to prevail,” he assured, stressing that “more aid is on the way” and that new aid announcements are expected “soon.” “.
Mr. Stoltenberg therefore called on the allies to put in place “a major, multi-year financial commitment (…) to demonstrate that our support for Ukraine is not short-term.”
Russia “must understand that it cannot win,” insisted the head of the Atlantic Alliance.
Fear of a Russian offensive
At his side, Mr. Zelensky urged the West to accelerate arms supplies to “fail” the new major offensive that Moscow is, according to Kyiv, preparing.
“Together, we must defeat the Russian offensive,” insisted Mr. Zelensky alongside Mr. Stoltenberg, noting that Russia “is trying to take advantage” of delays in Western aid.
“Artillery, (shells of) 155 mm caliber, long-range weapons and anti-aircraft defense, mainly Patriot systems. This is what our partners have and what should now work here in Ukraine to destroy Russia’s terrorist ambitions,” the Ukrainian head of state said.
In recent days, Moscow has claimed the conquest of several villages in eastern Ukraine.
On Monday, the Russian army said it had taken Semenivka, northwest of Avdiivka, a fortress town taken by the Russians in February, and the day before it had claimed occupation of Novobakhmutivka.
On Sunday, the commander-in-chief of the Ukrainian army, Oleksandr Syrsky, admitted that the situation on the front had “deteriorated”, with Russian troops, superior in weapons and soldiers, having achieved “tactical successes” in several areas.
According to him, Russian troops have “concentrated their efforts in several sectors, thus creating a significant advantage in terms of forces and means”, in order to “try to take the strategic initiative and break through the front line”.
Ukrainian military intelligence chief Kyrylo Budanov predicted last week that the situation would worsen around mid-May and early June, which will be a “difficult period” for Ukraine.
reference: www.lapresse.ca