Zelensky's Military Chief Issues Dire Russia Warning

Russian forces could push deep into Ukraine's defensive positions, Kyiv's army chief has said, as questions hang over the future flow of military aid and ammunition needed to sustain its defensive lines against Russia.

"In general, the operational situation on the eastern front remains difficult," Colonel General Oleksandr Syrskyi, said in a statement posted to messaging app Telegram on Wednesday.

Appearing to reference hotspots of fighting west of the captured Donetsk settlement of Avdiivka, and to both the north and south of the city, Syrskyi said that "the situation is gradually becoming more difficult and there is a threat of enemy units advancing deep into our battle formations."

Russia has pressed Ukrainian defenses at several points across the front lines in recent months, inching westward into Ukrainian-held territory at an excruciating cost to Moscow's troops and equipment stockpiles. But Kyiv has been restrained by shortages in its ammunition stockpiles, and long-term aid from its largest backer, the U.S., remains in doubt.

There has been weeks of heavy fighting around the key railway hub of Kupiansk, in Ukraine's Kharkiv region, down to the front lines west of the Russian-controlled cities of Kreminna and Lysychansk. Clashes have also continued along the southernmost front lines.

Moscow is concentrating its main efforts around certain settlements in the east, including the Donetsk region, Syrskyi said on Wednesday. Russia has annexed Donetsk, along with the Luhansk, Kherson and Zaporizhzhia regions, but does not exercise full control over the areas.

Russia is focusing on the Donetsk settlements of Tonenke and Berdychi, immediately west and to the northwest of Avdiivka, according to Syrskyi. Ukrainian forces withdrew from Avdiivka after protracted fighting in mid-February. Kyiv's General Staff said early on Wednesday that it had fought off 26 Russian attacks around Berdychi, Tonenke, and the close-by villages of Orlivka and Pervomaiske.

Moscow is also prioritizing a push on Terny, west of Kreminna, and Ivanivske, close to the devastated Donetsk city of Bakhmut, Syrskyi said. Russia captured Bakhmut in May 2023 after months of grinding and bloody fighting. Ukraine's military said in a separate statement on Wednesday that its forces had "repelled" seven attacks around Ivanivske and neighboring villages.

Russia's Defense Ministry said on Wednesday its forces had fought off a Ukrainian counterattack around Terny in the past day.

The Kremlin is putting resources into its efforts around the Zaporizhzhia settlements of Verbove and Robotyne, Syrskyi added. Ukraine said in the summer of 2023 that it had retaken Robotyne from Russian control.

Ukraine has made "all necessary decisions" about where to put its reinforcements along these sections of the front lines, including new troops, ammunition and electronic warfare equipment, the army chief said.

"Probably due to the high level of losses, the activity of the enemy in other areas of the front decreased significantly," Syrskyi said. "During two weeks of fierce fighting, the enemy suffered extremely high losses."

Russia and Ukraine have both said that their opponent has sustained thousands of casualties in the past two weeks.

Western experts say Russia's recent gains were bought with sky-high casualties. But now firmly past the 2-year threshold since the outbreak of all-out war—with no realistic end in sight—worries are deepening over how Ukraine can sustain its operations with ammunition shortages biting.

The U.S. Defense Department said on Tuesday that it was committing an additional $300 million in military aid to Ukraine, including more ammunition for High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems and 155mm artillery rounds.

But the new package is a "short-term stop gap," the Pentagon said. A more comprehensive military package for Kyiv has languished in Congress for months, putting more pressure on Ukraine's European NATO allies to drum up new tranches of military aid.