Ukrainian generals warn that Kyiv’s reserve forces are DEPLETED as Russian forces advance in Kharkiv
05/17/2024 / By Ramon Tomey
As Russian forces advance in the northeastern city of Kharkiv in Ukraine, the Ukrainian military has warned that Kyiv’s reserve forces are depleted.
According to The Sun, the Ukrainian Armed Forces (AFU) has admitted that it is struggling to contain the Russian onslaught in Kharkiv. Even the head of the Defense Intelligence of Ukraine (DIU) revealed this dire reality.
“I’ve used everything we have,” said DIU Chief Gen. Kyrylo Budanov. “Unfortunately, we don’t have anyone else in the reserves.”
In contrast, Moscow has tapped its massive troop reserves for the Kharkiv assault, which it kicked off days earlier. Close to 40,000 soldiers and 500 tanks were initially massed along Russia’s border with Ukraine. According to AFU soldiers, Moscow is using the tried-and-tested Russian tactic of launching human wave attacks – throwing troops into meat grinder assaults to gain territory at the cost of human lives.
Dr. Jack Watling, a war expert at the Royal United Services Institute, said unless Ukraine could gather more troops, its prospects were bleak due to Russia having “significant numerical superiority.”
“The Russian forces have now expanded to 510,000 troops,” Watling explained. “The outlook for Ukraine is bleak. Its allies must replenish stockpiles.”
Another limiting factor for Ukraine is the fact that it cannot attack Russian forces gathering near its border. This is because Washington has forbidden Kyiv from using U.S.-made weapons such as HIMARS rockets in enemy territory.
But for retired Gen. Richard Barrons, former head of the British Joint Forces Command, this restriction had allowed Russian forces to be able to “form up at leisure.” He argued that the HIMARS rockets “are the only weapons that will break up Russian forces as they organize themselves for an offensive.”
To address the situation, Ukrainian forces have now started deploying kamikaze drones in an attempt to push back Russia’s growing army. The AFU also launched a major aerial attack on the port city of Sevastopol in the Crimea oblast (province), which Russia has annexed into its territory. The Belgorod, Kursk and Bryansk regions were also targeted using 10 long-range ATACMS missiles from the United States.
Kyiv pulling out all the stops to replenish its forces
Meanwhile, the Ukrainian government is pulling out all the stops to replenish its forces and push back the Russian advance into Kharkiv. In April, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky signed a draconian military mobilization bill into law that ensured all Ukrainian men would fight in the front lines. (Related: No escape from the meat grinder: Zelensky signs tyrannical mobilization bill that lets no man escape.)
According to InfoWars, the version of the proposal signed into law no longer has a demobilization clause – which means all draftees are set to remain in the military indefinitely. All Ukrainians, whether at home or abroad, must now “update data” on themselves with the military authorities within 60 days after the measure takes effect. Draft dodgers could face fines, have their driver’s permit suspended or even be dragged to the nearest enlistment office by law enforcement under the new law.
The Verkhovna Rada, Ukraine’s unicameral parliament, has also passed a bill allowing some prisoners to join the AFU. People’s Deputy (PD) Olena Shuliak, who leads the ruling Servant of the People Party, said the measure would be voluntary. Prisoners who wish to fight in the front lines must have no more than three years left of their sentence to be eligible, she added.
Shuliak clarified in a Facebook post that the bill forbids prisoners from joining the AFU if they have been convicted of certain crimes. Those convicted of the murder of two or more people, sexual violence, crimes against “the foundations of national security of Ukraine” and serious corruption offenses are prohibited from enlisting.
The bill received support from 279 PDs out of the 450-member Verkhovna Rada. But before it becomes law, it needs to be signed by Zelensky and Ruslan Stefanchuk, the parliament’s chairman – and both are expected to support it.
Visit UkraineWitness.com for more similar stories.
Watch this clip of Ukraine’s attacks on Belgorod and against Russian forces at Kharkiv.
This video is from the High Hopes channel on Brighteon.com.
More related stories:
Kyiv to penalize, block bank accounts of draft dodgers amid serious shortage of soldiers.
Ukraine’s parliament passes bill allowing certain PRISONERS to join the military.
Ukrainian general: NOBODY can sit out the draft, and ALL MUST FIGHT.
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big government, chaos, collapse, Kharkiv, Kyrylo Budanov, Military draft, military offensive, military readiness, national security, panic, reserve forces, Russia-Ukraine war, scarcity, self-defense, Ukraine, Ukraine witness, Ukrainian Armed Forces, violence, WWIII
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