Russia has made its biggest gains in Ukraine since July 2022, an analysis by US shows CNN.
At the same time, Ukraine is still waiting for US arms deliveries.
Russian forces are taking advantage of Ukraine’s desperate situation, according to the analysis.
According to CNN, the five-month wait for the US military aid package of 61 billion dollars will have far-reaching consequences on the front lines.
Russian forces are taking advantage of Ukraine suffering from a shortage of artillery since December, according to the analysis. Among other things, Russia has made progress on the Eastern Front near Avdiivka, now making its biggest gains since the first months of the 2022 war.
The analysis is published just weeks before an expected Russian offensive at the end of May, which could threaten Ukraine’s presence in the Donetsk region and advances towards the Russian-occupied city of Mariupol.
Attracted criticism
Ukraine lost control of Avdiika on 17 February. Many Russian soldiers died in the fighting. But over the next ten weeks, Russian forces slowly but surely took over village after village west of Avdiivka.
Ukrainian General Oleksandr Syrski admitted on Sunday that a number of villages in the area had fallen. In the days before, his colleagues had denied that this was the case, prompting criticism among Ukrainian military bloggers and analysts.
Further progress
The US national security adviser warns that Russia could make further advances in the future.
– It is entirely possible that Russia could make further tactical advances in the coming weeks, says Jake Sullivan.