MOSCOW, December 18. /TASS/. The armed forces of Ukraine have found themselves in a difficult situation along some areas of the frontline, the Commander-in-Chief of the Ukrainian Armed Forces Alexander Syrsky said, adding that a number of regions must speed up the construction of fortifications on their territory.

"Tactical and strategic situation remains difficult," he told regional officials. "The toughest situation was reported in the Pokrovsk [Krasnoarmeysk] and Kurakhovo areas."

In his words, situation in the south of the country was also "tense."

The commander-in-chief went on to say that local authorities "are paying great effort to create the third fortification line" with 810 fortification posts to be created.

At the same time, he added that seven regions need to "intensify their effort" to build fortifications, but did not mentioned them by name.

In turn, Ukrainian Prime Minister Denis Shmygal said the government had allocated over $883 million this year to create the third line of fortifications. However, a number of scandals broke up earlier this year over poor defense lines in some areas. The military and the media reported that in some areas, local authorities simply embezzle construction funds.

The country’s former President Pyotr Poroshenko said in the Verkhovna Rada (parliament) on December 17 that "the situation on the frontline has never been so difficult, not even in March 2022.".