Russian forces are pushing forward in the country, So Ukraine's air defenses are depleted.
BY SIRAJ April -13-2024 EAST 11:01
KYIV — In the eastern region of Ukraine, Russia is advancing militarily, capturing new territory and intensifying attacks in an effort to seize the Donetsk region’s Chasiv Yar and other towns, while Ukrainian officials beg for additional Western armaments and a U.S. aid package remains stalled in Congress.
In areas remote from the front line, Ukraine’s air defense capabilities are becoming increasingly vulnerable to Russian missiles and drones, which can now strike critical infrastructure facilities.
The destruction of Thursday’s largest power plant serving the capital outside of Kyiv, which is considered the most fortified city in Ukraine, has stoked fears that the country may run out of surface-to-air missiles to counter Russian airstrikes.
“Instead of merely turning a blind eye and engaging in protracted discussions, we require air defense systems and other forms of defense assistance,” President Volodymyr Zelensky wrote on X, formerly Twitter.
Amidst a resurgence of the Russian offensive, Ukrainian military personnel have for months lamented the dire situation on the battlefield, attributing it to a dearth of soldiers and armaments. They have received reports of heightened Russian bombardment of Ukrainian military positions with guided air bombs launched from their aircraft.
This assault in eastern Ukraine, where resources are running low, could endanger larger towns and cities such as Kostiantynivka, located west of Chasiv Yar. In doing so, it could potentially further the objective of Russian President Vladimir Putin, who has already unlawfully annexed the entire Donetsk region.
West of the city of Bakhmut, where Wagner mercenaries of Russia captured and occupied approximately one year ago, Chasiv Yar has become the new focal point of Moscow’s forces, according to commanders stationed in the region.
“They attempt to advance methodically,” said Aidar, a deputy battalion commander with the 24th Separate Assault Battalion. The Washington Post consented to utilize the commander’s call sign, Chichen, in adherence to the protocol of the Ukrainian military.
“A significant number of [Russian] armored vehicles have been destroyed on the periphery as a result of their assaults,” Chichen said, adding that approximately twenty units of heavy equipment were involved in the Russian offensive on Friday morning.
He stated, "About six months ago, this did not occur here." "There is currently an abundance of burned-out equipment."
The deteriorating battlefield situation in Ukraine has occurred concurrently with the opposition of $60 billion in security aid for Ukraine, as proposed by President Biden, by Republicans in Congress for over six months. Subsequently, in February, Russia retook the offensive initiative by initially surmounting the fortress of Avdiivka.
The forces of Moscow have made further progress south of Avdiivka in the Donetsk region. Additionally, they are currently impeding upon Chasiv Yar from an opposing direction, constituting a dual-pronged assault.
In the interim, Ukrainian authorities are apprehensive that Russia is making preparations to deploy hundreds of thousands of additional soldiers in anticipation of a potential northeastern offensive aimed at Kharkiv, the second-most populous city in Ukraine. Kharkiv has been repeatedly bombarded by missiles in recent weeks, and attacks on energy infrastructure have caused electrical service disruptions.
In communities such as Robotyne, located south of the city of Zaporizhzhia, Ukrainian forces have been vying to preserve the limited progress they achieved during a counteroffensive last summer in other areas of the southeast.
According to Aidar deputy battalion commander Chichen, Chasiv Yar’s elevated terrain, which is ideal for initiating drone assaults, could be strategically advantageous for Russian forces. The defense of a canal that traverses the town’s eastern outskirts will be crucial for Ukraine, he stated.
Chichen stated, “At this time, the canal is one of the primary boundaries that everyone is vying for.” “If they are required to advance, then the locations through which they will traverse it are restricted.” Though infantry may be able to traverse the area, traversing with vehicles will prove to be more challenging. As a result, the canal holds significant importance.
