BERLIN, July 12. /TASS/. The Russian army has recently been taking the initiative in Ukraine, Major General Christian Freuding, head of a working group on coordination of assistance to Ukraine at the German Defense Ministry, admitted.

"We have been observing for several weeks, if not months, how the Russian armed forces are taking the initiative," he said on the ZDF TV channel, noting the steady progress of the Russian army on land. "In recent weeks, we have observed how the Ukrainian armed forces have retreated to deeper, that is, more Western defensive positions."

Freuding said that the situation in the air had worsened in recent weeks, especially in the large cities and towns of Ukraine.