BERLIN, February 9. /TASS/. German security expert and political adviser Nico Lange believes that the situation on the frontline for the Ukrainian army near Avdeyevka is becoming increasingly grim.
On February 2, the then commander-in-chief, Valery Zaluzhny, reported to President Vladimir Zelensky about the difficult situation near Avdeyevka. This town has been turned by the Ukrainian troops into one of the main fortified strongholds during the conflict in Donbass. In late December 2023, Zaluzhny said that the Ukrainian army might leave Avdeyevka in two or three months.
"The situation in the Avdeyevka area is becoming increasingly critical for Ukraine. After the failure of the encirclement attempt, Russia is pushing straight through the city from the southeast and the north, gradually making progress," Lange wrote on his page in the social network X. "Ukrainian positions in Avdeyevka are becoming increasingly hopeless due to the lack of artillery ammunition."
In case of a successful advance near Kupyansk, in his opinion, "Russia will be able to reverse the successes of the Ukrainian counter-offensive of 2022", as well as once again to control the Kharkov Region.
"The situation in the east is the worst for Ukraine since the critical phase from April to July 2022. The most important reason for this is the glaring lack of artillery ammunition and air defense means along the frontline," Lange said.
Ukraine, the expert noted, "needs more artillery ammunition, howitzers, replacement barrels and faster repair of artillery systems."
"In addition to the commitments made to provide follow-on deliveries, all partners must quickly tap their reserves," he summarized, adding that Kiev, among others, needed prompt deliveries of tanks, infantry fighting vehicles, as well as new commitments to providing non-stop supplies.
Failed counteroffensive
The Ukrainian army has been making unsuccessful offensive attempts since June 4, 2023. Russia has repeatedly emphasized that, despite heavy losses, the offensive has failed to produce significant results for Kiev. Trying to justify the lack of real successes in the combat zone, the Ukrainian authorities repeatedly accused NATO of insufficient supplies. The alliance’s officials stated that Kiev had received everything it needed. On December 1, 2023, Zelensky admitted that the counteroffensive had not achieved results.
On December 19, Russian Defense Minister Sergey Shoigu said that the Ukrainian army had lost 159,000 men killed and wounded during the so-called counteroffensive. In all, Kiev has lost more than 383,000 men since the beginning of the special military operation. On January 16, Russian President Vladimir Putin said that the Ukrainian counter-offensive had failed completely and utterly.