Ukraine lacks ammunition, while the US is 'weighing and measuring' aid
(Baonghean.vn) - The Ukrainian army is facing a serious shortage of ammunition, hindering its offensive operations while Russia does not seem to have the same problem, the Washington Post reported, citing soldiers deployed on the front lines.
According to a Ukrainian soldier fighting in the southern sector of the front, artillerymen were given a limited number of rounds to hit a certain point, with the number they could use on a small target like a mortar position limited to only 5-7 rounds.
“You can't win a war on momentum alone,” the soldier said. “You have to have some sort of numerical advantage… It just gets worse and worse.”
The soldier’s comments were also shared by a member of the 148th Artillery Brigade, which is equipped with 155mm guns. He told the Washington Post that his unit was only using 10 to 20 shells a day, down from an average of 50 and sometimes as many as 90.
“What can you do with 10 rounds a day? It is barely enough to cover the needs on the battlefield – we are not even talking about attacking Russian positions.” At the same time, Ukrainian soldiers interviewed by the newspaper said they did not see a similar shortage of ammunition in Russia as it continues its offensive in the southern and central parts of the front.
Officials in Kiev have long complained about the shortage of artillery shells, saying it has delayed the start of a much-hyped summer offensive, allowing Russia time to build up formidable defenses. Since June, Ukraine has been trying to break through Russian lines without any notable success, losing some 160,000 troops in the process, according to Russian officials.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky also acknowledged the ammunition shortage, saying the Hamas-Israel conflict had slowed deliveries. ABC News reported in late November, citing an unnamed Ukrainian official, that Washington had cut supplies of critical NATO-standard ammunition to Ukraine by “more than 30 percent” since the Israel-Hamas conflict erupted in early October.
Meanwhile, the US - the main country supporting Kiev - has had to "weigh and measure" the amount of aid Ukraine can receive because Congress has so far been unable to approve President Joe Biden's additional request, including about $ 60 billion in aid, due to Republican opposition.