Russia advances as aid stalls

Kyiv military critically short of ammunition and shells. FRONT-LINE UKRAINE TOWN FALLS

Ukrainian troops, reeling from the loss of a key town, now face “extremely difficult” conditions all along the front line with Russia because of delayed foreign aid, President Volodymyr Zelensky said.

A heightened Russian offensive in eastern and southern Ukraine saw them capture the key town of Avdiivka last week in a major boost ahead of the second anniversary of the 2022 invasion.

The Ukrainian military also says it is critically short of ammunition and shells, worsened by the hold up of a $60 billion (about R1.1 trillion) US aid package.

“The situation is extremely difficult in several parts of the front line, where Russian troops have concentrated maximum reserves,” Zelensky said on Monday after visiting front line troops in the Kharkiv region.

Russian troops “are taking advantage of the delays in helping Ukraine,” Zelensky added.

US President Joe Biden told Zelensky on Sunday that he was “confident” the Republican-dominated US Congress would approve the critically needed aid.

Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmygal said yesterday: “I believe the United States will support Ukraine also, like the European Union, like Japan, like all the G7 countries and the IMF [International Monetary Fund] and all international financial organisations,” Shmygal told a press conference in Tokyo when asked about “Ukraine fatigue” in the international community.

“So we can’t speak about fatigue, because it’s an existential war – you can’t be fatigued when you’re fighting for your future, for your life ... for global security order,” he said.

Ukraine also faces a different kind of frontier assault, with Polish farmers and truckers trying to block the border, accusing their Ukrainian counterparts of undermining their business.

Polish farmers are calling for a halt to all border traffic as they step up a battle with their government over their conditions.

Road traffic into Poland has been an export lifeline for Ukrainian companies since the invasion blocked major trading routes through the Black Sea.

But the increased shipments have angered Polish logistics companies and farmers, who say they are losing business. –