- Written by Thomas Mackintosh
- BBC news
Ukraine's military chief has warned that the battlefield situation in the country's east has “significantly deteriorated” in recent days.
Heavy fighting continues in several villages in the eastern Donbas region.
General Oleksandr Shirushkyi said Russia benefits from a warm climate, making the terrain easier for tanks to approach and giving it a tactical advantage.
This comes after Germany announced it would provide Ukraine with additional Patriot missile defense systems to protect against air attacks.
In an update posted on social media on Saturday, General Shirschiky explained that the situation on the Eastern Front is deteriorating as Russia intensifies its armored attacks.
He said fighting was intensifying for control of Bohdanivka, a village west of the destroyed city of Bakhmut.
The settlement is located a few kilometers northeast of the town of Chasiv Yar, a Kiev-held stronghold Russia has held since seizing the southern town of Avdiivka in February.
Ukrainian officials say a slowdown in military aid from Western countries, particularly the United States, has left the country exposed to air attacks and significantly outnumbered on the battlefield.
US House of Representatives Speaker Mike Johnson has failed to push through a new military aid bill, despite repeated promises to focus on defending Ukraine. In February, the Democratic-controlled Senate passed a new budget bill that included $60 billion in aid for Kiev, but conservative Republicans in the House opposed the bill, saying it did not include money for border security. did.
General Shirushky said that without new aid and modern weapons, Kiev would not be able to “seize strategic leadership” from the numerically superior Russian military.
Separately on Saturday, Germany promised to provide Ukraine with additional air defense systems. Ukraine has stepped up its desperate appeal for supplies of air defense missiles in recent weeks.
On Friday, a major power plant near Kiev was completely destroyed by a Russian attack. Officials said the Trypilya power plant was the largest electricity supplier for three regions, including Kiev.
In response, Berlin agreed to provide Kiev with additional Patriot missile systems. It is capable of intercepting Russia's most advanced weapons, including the Kinzal hypersonic missile.
Defense Minister Boris Pistorius said Russia's attacks on Ukrainian cities and energy infrastructure are causing untold suffering.
President Volodymyr Zelenskiy thanked Germany for the decision, calling it a “true expression of support for Ukraine.”
The Russian government has stepped up airstrikes on Ukraine since President Vladimir Putin won a staged election last month.
Russia has carried out three major airstrikes against energy systems in recent days, hitting power plants and substations.
The Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) also announced that it had thwarted an assassination attempt on Kherson region governor Oleksandr Prokudin. Officials said two men tried to attack Mr Prokudin's car with a Russian drone.
“This is not the first attempt, and probably not the last,” Prokudin said in a message posted on Telegram.
SBU officials also said they have detained 11 networks of Russian agents since early 2024. This is in addition to last year's 47 people, SBU chief Vasyl Maruyuk said in a separate Telegram post.