Over the past 24 hours, 96 military clashes took place at the front. In total, the enemy launched two missile and 23 air strikes, and carried out 40 attacks from multiple launch rocket systems on the positions of our troops and populated areas.
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In the Maryinsky direction, the Defense Forces are holding the enemy in the Krasnogorovka, Maryinka and Novomikhailovka areas of Donetsk, the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine reported in the morning report on December 16.
Near Avdeevka, the Defense Forces successfully repulsed 20 enemy attacks east of Novobakhmutovka, Avdeevka and another 14 attacks east of Stepnoye, south of Severnoye and Pervomaisky.
In the Bakhmut direction, the Ukrainian military repelled 18 attacks by Russians near Bogdanovka, Ivanovsky, Kleshchievka and Andreevka in the Donetsk region. The Ukrainian defense forces continue to inflict losses on the enemy in manpower and equipment, and are consolidating their positions on the achieved lines.
Meanwhile, CNN writes that Ukrainian troops are already rationing ammunition due to the delay in American aid, and “the end of US support for Ukraine would be critical.”
High-ranking officials from the United States and Ukraine reported that Russian troops now already have a five to seven times advantage in Ukrainian Armed Forces’ shells. This leads to additional losses in the ranks of the Ukrainian army.
Western officials estimate that without additional U.S. assistance, Ukraine will first run out of long-range missiles, then air defense missiles, and later artillery ammunition and Javelin anti-tank missiles and Stinger anti-aircraft missiles.
Each category of ammunition is critical for the defense of Ukraine. Long-range missiles such as Britain’s Storm Shadow cruise missiles have played a key role in Ukraine’s success in pushing back Russia’s Black Sea Fleet hundreds of miles to open a transport corridor for grain and other goods.
One senior American military official believes that without the help of the United States and NATO, Ukraine will last in this war for only a few months and defeat will occur in the summer of 2024, writes CNN.
In Europe, there is also growing dissatisfaction with the actions of the US Congress, which is blocking aid to Ukraine.
Source: Racurs
I am David Wyatt, a professional writer and journalist for Buna Times. I specialize in the world section of news coverage, where I bring to light stories and issues that affect us globally. As a graduate of Journalism, I have always had the passion to spread knowledge through writing.