President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine says that Russian forces are throwing “everything they can” at Kiev’s troops fighting to retake land in the south and east, once again underlining the grueling nature of Ukraine. a counter-offensive is progressing more slowly than expected by some allies.
Ukraine’s military has made little progress since launching its much-anticipated campaign in June, and in recent weeks it has seems to have stalled in some areas in the face of Russia’s solid defense. Casualties are on the rise, and American officials have said that Ukraine has also lost newly supplied Western armored vehicles field after field of land mine.
Mr. Zelensky, who was speed protection of counterattack, say in his overnight address late on Friday that he had a “detailed” meeting earlier in the day with his top commanders to discuss the front line and “logistics” – including weapons and the “use of reasonable shells, supplies from partners”, a clear reference to the proportions where Ukrainian forces are using ammunition.
“We must all understand very clearly – as clearly as possible – that the Russian forces in our southern and eastern lands are investing everything they can to stop our fighters,” he said. we. “Every thousand yards of advance, every feat of our combat brigade deserves gratitude.”
Mr Zelensky has repeatedly pressed his Western allies to supply increasingly sophisticated weapons, and he received new commitments this week from allies at the General Assembly. NATO summit in Lithuania, including long-range missiles from France and more tank ammunition from Germany. But it’s unclear how long those weapons will arrive, or how much of a boost they could provide for the counterattack.
The United States has acknowledged that Ukrainian forces are running low on ammunition, which is one reason President Biden agreed last week over objections from allies to send cluster bombs to Ukraine. This weapon is very dangerous to civilians and is outlawed with the exception of a few countries, including the United States, Russia and Ukraine.
The defense ministers of Denmark and the Netherlands announced last week that they were bringing together 11 countries to help train Ukrainian pilots to use F-16 fighter jets as soon as next month. Mr. Biden in May agreed to drop his opposition to the donation of F-16s to Ukraine, although that may not happen until next year.
Ukraine has also asked the United States for long-range Army Tactical Missile Systems, has a range of about 190 miles — about 40 miles more than the missiles that France and Britain are supplying. US and European officials have said that the Biden administration, after months of maintaining it will not deliver weapons for fear of further provoking Russia, considering whether to send some to Ukraine.
One ally who has opposed sending weapons to Ukraine is South Korea, whose president, Yoon Suk Yeol, arrived in Ukraine on Saturday for an unannounced trip.
Seoul, which does not want to openly oppose Moscow, refused to send lethal aid and has imposed strict export control rules on its global arms sales. It also provided humanitarian aid and financial assistance to Ukraine for demining, power grid restoration and reconstruction projects.
However, Yoon has indicated that Seoul may be willing to consider sending military aid to Ukraine in the event of a large-scale attack on civilians.
He visited the towns of Bucha and Irpin – which have become synonymous with Russian brutality in the first days of the invasion — upon arrival on Saturday, said Mr. Yoon’s office, and then met with Mr. Zelensky.
“During this visit, the first in the history of our relationship, we are discussing everything that is important to people’s normal and safe lives, to the international order based on rules,” Zelensky said on the messaging app Telegram as he greeted the South Korean leader.
Meanwhile, the Ukrainian military on Saturday continued to report Fierce fighting in the south and east of the countrysaid that Russian forces in southern Ukraine are focused on “preventing further advance” of Kyiv troops fighting in the direction of two key Russian-occupied cities of Melitopol and Berdiansk.
Here’s what else is happening in the fight:
-
Russian shelling leaves one person dead and another injured in Kharkiv region, northeastern Ukraine, regional military junta said in a statement on Saturday.
-
A spokesman for Ukraine’s border guards said “existing information indicates” that some fighters from the Wagner mercenary group were “observed in Belarus.” The comments came a day after the Belarusian Defense Ministry said Wagner mercenary is training its security forces. Questions about the fighters’ future have swirled since an agreement to end the Wagner mutiny in Russia last month included an agreement to voluntarily go into exile in Belarus. There is little evidence they went there in large numbers.
John Yoon contributed reporting from Seoul.
