As Ukraine maintains its counteroffensive, its forces have been hitting Russian defense positions surrounding the city for weeks. Despite its low strategic relevance, retaking the industrial town has become a top priority for Ukraine after hundreds of lives were lost during the conflict.
This week, the general of the Ukrainian ground troops said that the enemy is ensnared in a trap after the Russian occupants in Bakhmut claimed possession of the destroyed city.
While the 17th Tank Brigade is active, Ukrainian forces are not using tanks against their Russian opponents. Instead, they’re employing U.S.-supplied self-propelled Howitzer M109s. Many artillery pieces produced in the United States are in Ukraine’s possession, and they’ve been vital in the country’s counteroffensive.
Using heavy weapons near Russian positions is risky for the men handling them. When they fire a shell, a massive cloud of smoke is released into the air, which may be seen by Russian drones and lead to retaliation.
Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has been instrumental in the war effort by keeping the pressure on the United States and Ukraine’s foreign partners to ensure a steady supply of weaponry. Ukraine could not have survived Russia’s invasion and started pushing Vladimir Putin’s army back without them.
This week, Zelenskyy asked the heads of the NATO alliance for more help. On Tuesday, he attended the NATO meeting in Vilnius, Lithuania, where he blasted the United States and other alliance members for their lack of transparency over a timeline for his country’s membership.
NATO leaders have gone to tremendous lengths to demonstrate their continuous commitment to helping Ukraine fight the Russian invasion, but the level of togetherness has looked remote. That calls for more military aid overall, not just from NATO countries.
On Wednesday, the United States, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, the United Kingdom, and Japan would have joined the European Union in making a joint announcement about a new accord between their respective highly industrialized economies. As part of the deal, all parties would pledge to continuously equip Ukraine with high-tech military gear, training, intelligence sharing, and cyber-defense capabilities.
According to the British government, the joint declaration, which is expected to be signed by all G7 members, would detail the support for Ukraine to stop the war and prevent and respond to future assaults.
