Ukrainian forces scale back operations over artillery shortages: commander

Ukrainian forces are scaling down their battle plans against Russia due to a shortage of ammunition, a senior army general has said.

Photo:

Wolfgang Schwan/Anadolu Agency/ABACAPRESS.COM via PAP

In an interview published on Monday, Oleksandr Tarnavskyi told the Reuters news agency that Ukraine lacked 122mm and 152mm artillery shells, and that a drop in foreign military aid had an impact on the battlefield.

The brigadier general said Ukrainian forces were "replanning" their operations and scaling them down as a result.

Tarnavskyi also told Reuters that Ukraine was preparing reserves for "further large-scale actions."

Ukrainian troops face artillery shortages, scale back some operations - commander https://t.co/30b1Ud1hoV pic.twitter.com/5WHkUYyugp

— Reuters (@Reuters) December 18, 2023

The commander's remarks come as US President Joe Biden's USD 61 billion military aid for Kyiv has stalled in Congress.

Last week, Hungary vetoed EUR 50 billion in fresh European Union funding for Ukraine. 

Russia invaded Ukraine on February 24, 2022, launching the largest military campaign in Europe since World War II.

NEW: A combination of artillery ammunition shortages and delays in the provision of Western security assistance is likely causing Ukrainian forces to husband materiel and may delay future Ukrainian counteroffensive operations. 🧵(1/4) pic.twitter.com/b3rWfcteIE

— Institute for the Study of War (@TheStudyofWar) December 19, 2023

Tuesday is day 664 of Russia’s war on Ukraine.

(pm/gs)

Source: IAR, PAP, ISW, Reuters