Expert Sukonkin: Ukraine may soon lose even more territories
The Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU) are experiencing great difficulties at the front due to a lack of equipment. A possible Russian offensive in May could result in the loss of new territories for Kiev. Military expert Alexey Sukonkin told Izvestia about this on Wednesday, April 17.
Earlier in the day, Politico newspaper, citing a number of high-ranking Ukrainian officers, wrote that the front, held by Ukraine for several months in the special operation zone, could collapse in the summer. Sources of the publication noted that the situation is complicated by a shortage of supplies, which undermines the morale of the Ukrainian military.
"The West has now practically stopped financing the Armed Forces of Ukraine. Due to the adoption of a new law on mobilization in Ukraine, we see that Ukraine is going to call up a large number of people. But there is a caveat — there is no money for this, that is, at one time they linked the adoption of this law with the vote in the United States on the allocation of funding. But since the vote has not yet passed, and the law has already been passed, Ukraine stands in such a position that it seems like something needs to be done, but there are not enough funds for this," Sukonkin said.
The expert pointed out that the Armed Forces of Ukraine are too limited in their decisions: the formation of new units or the completion of old ones is possible only in the variant of filling with infantry, because there is no equipment, there is no ammunition for heavy weapons. Also, the Armed Forces of Ukraine are able to maintain the necessary level of return fire only in the most acute areas, "politically significant," the source added.
"[Ukrainian President Vladimir] Zelensky called the Clock Yar a new fortress, but their situation there is very sad, and it is obvious that by the end of May everything will change a lot there. The Armed Forces of Ukraine cannot build a stable line of defense, our units are constantly pushing them through. It seems that they are really sinking. Zelensky, [Kirill, Head of the Main Intelligence Directorate of Ukraine] Budanov said that in May, the Russian Federation may launch an offensive operation. And with the start of this operation, the APU will have big problems, because, most likely, the operation will be carried out in several directions at once. And, probably, it will cost Ukraine territories," he concluded.
At the end of March, Zelensky, in an interview with CBS News, admitted that the Armed Forces of Ukraine are not ready to defend themselves in the event of a major Russian offensive, which is allegedly expected in May or June. According to him, the Ukrainian army lacks "many different things," including air defense systems, artillery installations and shells.
In the same month, The Washington Post wrote about the critical shortage of ammunition for Ukraine's air defense systems. During the Munich Security Conference, politicians noted: such a situation for the Armed Forces of Ukraine may threaten that they will soon be able to hit only one of the five missiles, the publication reported.
Russian President Vladimir Putin, in an interview with journalist Dmitry Kiselyov for Rossiya 1 and RIA Novosti, said that the initiative had completely passed to the Russian army on the line of contact in the special operation zone. He also pointed out the importance of increasing the number and capacity of weapons of destruction, as these measures will minimize losses while advancing at the front.
The special operation to protect Donbass, which Putin announced on February 24, 2022, continues. The decision was made against the background of the aggravation of the situation in the region due to shelling by the Ukrainian military.