The head of Ukrainian intelligence paints a bleak outlook.
Ukrainians typically don't paint a gloomy picture of their circumstances. Therefore, when the head of the army's intelligence service expresses pessimism, it's most likely an alarming sign. "The situation is nearing a critical stage every hour," says Budanov. "Unfortunately, we don't have any reserves left."
Kyryl Budanov, the leader of Ukraine's military intelligence, has voiced concerns about the current situation on the front. "The situation is teetering on the edge," General Budanov told The New York Times during an interview from a bunker in Kharkiv. "The situation is moving towards a critical point with every passing hour."
Budanov believes that the Russian attacks in the northeast of the country are an attempt to exhaust the already strained Ukrainian soldier reserves and divert attention from other battles. The Ukrainian army is attempting to move troops away from other frontline regions to bolster its defenses in the northeast, but finding personnel has been challenging.
"Everything we have is either here or in Chasiv Yar," he said. "I've deployed all our personnel. Unfortunately, we're down to our last reserves."
Budanov suspects that the Russians' goal in the northeast is to create chaos and fear in the region. "Right now, our main priority is to establish stability and then start pushing them back across the border," he said, adding that a wave of Ukrainian reservists had managed to "partially foil their plans." Budanov anticipates Russia will launch another attack north of Kharkiv, in the Sumy region.
Russian advances in the Kharkiv region
Russian troops have been advancing in the Kharkiv region for several days and have reported capturing several Ukrainian villages. On Monday, intense fighting transpired near Vovchansk, a small town just 8 kilometers from the Russian border. Per Ukrainian sources, the city came under Russian airstrikes. "They're dropping five to seven bombs every three minutes," Lieutenant Denys Yaroslavsky, who leads a unit engaged in the fighting, told The New York Times.
The Ukrainian forces have been plagued by a severe shortage of weapons and ammunition for months. Just a few weeks ago, following months of negotiation, the US Congress approved military support with an estimated value of around $60 billion.
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Source: www.ntv.de
