Ukraine’s defense chief: The situation along the front worsened

He says that the Russian offensive has been significantly stepped up after the elections in Russia in mid-March.

He added that measures have been put in place to strengthen the most problematic defense areas, with electronic equipment and air defenses.

He particularly pointed to the situation at the town of Tjasiv Jar, 20 kilometers west of Bakhmut, as difficult and tense. The area is under constant shelling, he said.

– The enemy is actively attacking our positions in the Lyman and Bakhmut sectors with assault groups supported by armor. In the Pokrovsk sector, they are trying to break through our positions with dozens of tanks and armored vehicles, he says.

Hard battles

In February, Russia had its first successful military advance since capturing Bakhmut last year, when Avdijivka was captured after many months of hard fighting.

Syrskyj says that it is only by achieving technological superiority that Ukraine can defeat a much more numerous enemy and take a strategic initiative.

Better training, especially of the infantry, is also crucial if Ukraine is to be able to use Western weapons, he says.

Killed on both sides

Ukrainian authorities report that at least three people were killed in Russian attacks during the night of Saturday, while Russian occupation authorities in Zaporizhzhya report ten killed in a Ukrainian attack.

Russian emergency services are digging in the ruins of three apartment blocks in the city of Tokmak that were hit in the hope of rescuing survivors. Five people have been found alive under the remains of the building, and 13 have been admitted to hospital.

In the Ukrainian-controlled part of Donetsk, two people were killed in a Russian attack, and Russian forces also bombed a car delivering food in the Chernihiv region. The civilian driver was killed, according to Governor Vyacheslav Chaus.

Several people were also injured in Russian airstrikes in the Kharkiv region.