The situation on Ukraine's eastern front has "significantly deteriorated in recent days" amid an intensification of Russia's offensive efforts, the Commander-in-Chief of Ukraine's Armed Forces Oleksandr Syrskyi said on April 13.
The dire warning comes against the backdrop of a shortage of ammunition plaguing the Ukrainian military, which has been exacerbated by an ongoing impasse in Congress over U.S. aid.
Syrskyi said that warm, dry weather has enabled Russia to increase its armored assaults in the areas of Bakhmut, Lyman, and Pokrovsk.
The general said that the tempo of the Russian offensive in the east has heightened since last month's presidential election, which saw Russian President Vladimir Putin handily win another six-year term in office. The election was widely seen as rigged.
Ukraine is working to stabilize the situation and "strengthen the most problematic defense areas with electronic warfare and air defense," Syrskyi said.
Both foreign and Ukrainian officials have said the lack of U.S. aid has begun to hurt Ukraine's position on the battlefield and warned that the situation could worsen without a new infusion of military assistance.
President Volodymyr Zelensky said earlier in April that "Ukraine will lose the war" if Congress does not approve further aid.
Elsa Court
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