Kiev is reportedly frustrated with slow weapon deliveries from its partners who are demanding swift results from the operation
FILE PHOTO. A Ukrainian Army tank drives over an infantryman during a training exercise © Getty Images / John Moore
Kiev is doing its best on the battlefield and using all the resources it has at its disposal, the Economist reported on Wednesday citing a source in Ukrainian intelligence who noted that Western calls to speed up the operation have proven to be frustrating.
The outlet pointed out that the Ukrainian army had suffered heavy casualties during the first weeks of the widely-anticipated counteroffensive without making any significant gains so far, prompting Ukrainian commanders to try and protect their depleted forces.
Previously, Ukrainian officials had claimed that they had hoped the operation could progress more swiftly, but have pointed to a number of challenges its forces have had to face, such as effective Russian aviation, large minefields and bad weather.
The slow pace of the counteroffensive has reportedly started worrying Kiev’s Western backers, according to The Economist, with officials arguing that a lack of shock and momentum will cost more lives in the long run. Politico also reported on Monday that certain Western officials have called Ukraine’s Armed Forces “too cautious” and are demanding that its troops hurry up and make significant battlefield gains soon.
An unnamed Ukrainian intelligence source, however, has told the Economist that such statements coming from the West are hypocritical.
“Let me put this as diplomatically as I can,” he told the outlet. “Certain partners are telling us to go forward and fight violently, but they also take their time delivering the hardware and weapons we need.”
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Earlier this week, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmitry Kuleba also told top EU diplomats that Kiev needed more artillery systems and missiles, insisted on speeding up the training of Ukrainian pilots on advanced fighter jets, and called for more sanctions to be placed on Moscow.
Publicly, Western officials have pledged to support Ukraine for “as long as it takes” to defeat Russia. However, the slow progress and lack of results of Kiev’s counteroffensive could jeopardize future military assistance, the Financial Times has reported.
Meanwhile, Russia has repeatedly pointed out that the continued delivery of Western weapons to Ukraine would fail to change the outcome of the conflict and only served to prolong it and cause more unnecessary bloodshed.
