- Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy says delays in arms deliveries to Ukraine from Western allies are giving Russia an advantage on the battlefield.
- European countries are struggling to find enough stocks to send to Kiev, and political differences have held up $60 billion worth of U.S. aid.
- Sweden has announced its largest aid package to date for Ukraine, including military aid such as boats, tanks and weapons.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said delays in arms shipments from Western allies to Ukraine are opening the door to Russia’s advance into the battlefield, and that Kremlin forces on the front lines captured strategic cities over the weekend. He said fighting in the area had become “very difficult.” 2nd anniversary of the start of the war.
Zelenskiy and other officials have often expressed frustration with the slow delivery of promised aid, especially since signs of war fatigue emerged. European countries are struggling to find enough stocks to send to Kiev, and US aid worth $60 billion has stalled over political differences. That seems to be influencing the thinking of Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Still, more aid is on the way to Ukraine, with Sweden announcing its biggest aid package yet on Tuesday and Canada saying it is speeding up the deployment of more than 800 drones.
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President Zelenskiy said in his daily video address late Monday that Russia was building up troops at several points along the 930-mile front, aiming to attack apparent defensive weaknesses. .
Ukrainian soldiers launch a drone attack against Russian APCs on the front line near Kryshsiivka, Donetsk region, Ukraine, February 19, 2024. Delays in arms shipments from Western allies to Ukraine open the door to Russia’s entry into the battlefield, according to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy. (Irina Rybakova, via AP)
“They (Russians) are taking advantage of the delay in aid to Ukraine,” he said on Monday after visiting a command post in the Kupiansk district of northeastern Kharkiv region.
He said the Ukrainian military is acutely aware of the lack of artillery, air defense systems and long-range weapons.
Last weekend, Ukrainian troops withdrew from the strategic eastern city of Avdiivka. There, they fought a fierce Russian attack for four months despite being severely outnumbered and outgunned.
However, Oleksiy Danilov, chairman of Ukraine’s National Security and Defense Council, said that although the situation on the battlefield is particularly difficult due to ammunition shortages, the situation on the Eastern Front is not catastrophic.
“We are fighting and will continue to fight,” he told news agency Ukraine S.Pravda. “The only thing we ask of our partners is arms, ammunition and air defense support.”
He claimed that Russia suffered heavy losses in troops and equipment in the bombed battle of Avdiivka. His claims could not be independently verified.
Zelenskiy said talks with foreign partners were focused on how to “restart and extend” aid.
Sweden, which seeks to join NATO, announced on Tuesday it would donate $681 million worth of military aid to Ukraine. This includes her 30 boats, including fast and powerful military attack craft and underwater weapons.
The agreement also includes artillery shells, Leopard tanks, shoulder-based anti-aircraft defense systems, anti-tank missiles, grenade launchers, hand grenades, medical transport vehicles, and even underwater drones and diving equipment.
“By supporting Ukraine, we are also investing in our own security,” Defense Minister Poul Jonsson told a news conference in Stockholm. “If Russia wins this terrible war, there will be far greater security problems than there are today.”
The Canadian government announced Monday that it will send more than 800 drones to Ukraine starting as early as this spring. These are part of the previously announced $370 million in military aid to Ukraine.
Ukraine’s Ministry of Finance announced on Tuesday that Ukraine received $42.5 billion from foreign partners, of which $11.6 billion was non-repayable grant aid.
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The report said grant aid was provided by the United States, Japan, Norway, Germany, Spain, Finland, Switzerland, Ireland, Belgium and Iceland. The United States provided the largest amount of grant aid, $11 billion, which does not require repayment.
Long-term concessional financing amounted to $30.9 billion, including the European Union ($19.5 billion), the International Monetary Fund ($4.5 billion), Japan ($3.4 billion), Canada ($1.8 billion), and the United Kingdom ( ($1 billion), the World Bank ($660 million) and Spain ($50 million).
Meanwhile, Ukraine’s air force announced that it had shot down all 23 Shahid drones that Russia launched over the country on Monday night.
Air Force spokesman Yuriy Ifnat said the activity of Russian aircraft has decreased after Ukraine shot down a number of enemy jets in recent days.
Air Force Commander Mykola Oleshuk said on Monday that his forces destroyed an Su-34 and Su-35 bomber. He said other Russian jets were also shot down over the weekend.
