The destruction of Russian fighter bombers and the replenishment of ammunition stocks will help Ukraine halt Russia's advance on the battlefield, Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba told the LRT media outlet.
The trend of Russia gradually occupying Ukraine's territory can be reversed, but it is "very difficult" and requires "many decisions," according to Kuleba.
Two key solutions are the destruction of Russian aircraft both on the ground and in the air, and ensuring a sufficient amount of artillery shells to fight Moscow's forces, he continued.
"This (Russian aviation) is a real pain point for our ground forces. We believe that the main reason for Russia's success is simply the endless number of guided bombs that are dropped on our ground forces," Kuleba said in an interview published on July 4.
Russia used more than 800 guided aerial bombs against Ukraine in the past week alone, President Volodymyr Zelensky said.
These weapons are launched from aircraft within Russian territory, outside the range of Ukrainian air defenses. "As soon as we manage to tackle the threat of aerial bombardment, our ground positions will be strengthened, and it will be very difficult for Russia to advance," the minister added.
Guided aerial bombs are precision-guided munitions that have a shorter range than missiles, but are far cheaper to produce. The weapons are launched from aircraft within Russian territory, outside the range of Ukrainian air defense.
"As soon as we manage to tackle the threat of aerial bombardment, our ground positions will be strengthened, and it will be very difficult for Russia to advance," the minister added.
In recent weeks, the active Russia-Ukraine front line has expanded as intense fighting continues in the areas of Pokrovsk and Toretsk, Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi said on July 2.
Russian troops also trying to push on Kharkiv, Kupiansk, Lyman, Siversk, Kramatorsk, Kurakhove, Vremivka, Orikhiv and Prydniprovia sectors in Ukraine's east and south, according to General Staff's latest update.
Nate Ostiller
