The Russian Defense Ministry in Moscow announced on Sunday that it had captured the small town of Novopachmutivka in the Donetsk region — a place that Ukrainian military observers also assigned to the Russians on their maps northwest of the town of Avtivka, which was evacuated in February.
Enemies attack in many directions and gain dominance over people and objects. In some areas, the Russians achieved “tactical victories,” Cirsky said. Russia has a “significant advantage in forces and resources” and has been able to advance in serious combat, Chirsky continued. Russia achieved “tactical victories in some sectors,” and in others “our troops were able to improve the tactical situation.”
Further Russian developments are expected
Western military experts are also monitoring the progress of Russian troops. “Russia is likely to make significant tactical gains in the coming weeks, while Ukraine waits for U.S. support to come to the fore,” the U.S. think tank Institute for the Study of War (ISW) analyzed. “But it is unlikely that Russian forces will break through Ukrainian defenses.” After months of impasse, the US last week approved an aid package worth billions. Ukrainian troops have had no new weapon systems, but above all ammunition, for weeks.
Phillips O'Brien, a professor of strategic studies at the Scottish University of St Andrews, writes on his substack blog about the two races running against each other: Russia is trying to create facts by gaining as much territory as possible, Ukraine is trying. Weapon systems must be brought into the war zone as quickly as possible once they have been delivered.
A defense treaty with the US was announced
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky announced a bilateral defense agreement with the United States. “We are already working on a concrete text,” Zelenskyj said in his evening video address on Sunday. The aim is to make it the strongest of all defense treaties. Kiev has already concluded several defense deals with various European countries in recent months. Zelensky did not specify when a security agreement between Kiev and Washington would be signed.
An appeal to more patriotic organizations
Zelensky had previously called on the West to increase supplies of anti-aircraft weapons. He said in a video message that Russian airstrikes on Saturday night targeted his country's gas transport system. Polish Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski called on German Chancellor Olaf Scholz to reconsider the delivery of Taurus missiles to Ukraine. But Scholz stuck to his rejection.
Ukraine needs more American Patriot anti-aircraft systems, Zelensky said. “Ukraine needs seven systems, which is the absolute minimum. Our allies have these patriots. Other European countries refuse to commit.
