Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has cautioned that Russia might ramp up its attack in northeastern Ukraine following recent advances near Kharkiv.
Russian forces are making efforts to push forward as Ukraine's troops, facing shortages, try to stabilize a weakened front line. President Zelensky acknowledge challenges with military staffing and morale, nothing that brigades are currently understaffed.
In an interview with AFP, he highlighted the urgent need for more air defense systems and fighter jets from allies. "We currently have only about 25% of the air capabilities required to defend Ukraine," Zelensky stated. "To prevent Russian air superiority, we need a fleet of 120 to 130 modern aircraft."
Oleg Synegubov, Kharkiv's regional governor, reported that nearly 10,000 people have been displaced in just over a week. However, he assured that "the situation is under the control of Ukraine’s defenders." In a related move, Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk announced that Poland will invest over €2.3 billion to strengthen its eastern border against potential threats.
President Zelensky also emphasized the need for more soldiers at the frontlines. "Many of our brigades are currently understaffed. We need to ensure proper rotation for our troops to maintain their morale."
To address this, a new mobilization law came into effect on Saturday, lowering the conscription age from 27 to 25 to increase the number of recruits. The initial flood of volunteers following Russia's full-scale invasion in February 2022 has dwindled. Many who volunteered are now either deceased, injured, or still awaiting relief at the front lines.
In February, Zelensky announced that 31,000 Ukrainian soldiers had been killed since the invasion began. Typically, Ukrainian officials do not publicly disclose casualty figures, and other estimates suggest higher numbers.
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