US munitions finally start arriving on Ukraine front line

Lt Gen Ivan Havrylyuk said most of the equipment and ammunition pledged by the US in April was still in transit - Armyinform

A new batch of American weapons has reached Ukraine’s front line, but it won’t be enough to immediately push the Russians back, according to a Ukrainian commander.

Lt Gen Ivan Havrylyuk, first deputy defence minister, said that while artillery shells had arrived, most of the equipment and ammunition pledged by the US in April was still in transit.

“It takes time to load ships that must then cross the Atlantic,” he said. “But we are already seeing the results.”

The war in Ukraine has turned into a war of attrition, with artillery shell stocks determining who has the advantage.

In April, US president Joe Biden signed a long-delayed military aid package that he said Ukraine would need “to keep them in the fight”.

“In the next few hours we will begin sending air defence munitions, for artillery, for rocket systems, and armoured vehicles,” Mr Biden said. “I’m making sure the shipments start right away.”

A Ukrainian soldier prepares artillery shells at their fighting position near Chasiv Yar in Donetsk Oblast in Ukraine, on June 9 - Jose Colon/Anadolu

Gen Havrylyuk said that while it will take time for those supplies to translate into gains for Ukraine, the Russian artillery shell advantage has already fallen from seven-to-one to five-to-one and that this gap will narrow as the rest of the weapons arrive.

On Sunday, Russia claimed it had captured another village, Zahirne, in southern Ukraine.

The Kremlin said Ukraine should “reflect” on Vladimir Putin’s demand for Kyiv’s effective surrender as a basis for peace talks. On Friday, the Russian president demanded Ukraine withdraw its troops from the east and south of the country and end its Nato bid.

A Ukrainian soldier carries a shell as the 93rd Brigade bomb squad carries out mine and shell detonation work in Donetsk region, Ukraine on Saturday. It may take two to three years to completely clear this small area of explosives - Jose Colon/Anadolu

“The current dynamic of the situation at the front shows us clearly that it’s continuing to worsen for the Ukrainians. It’s probable that a politician who puts the interests of his country above his own and those of his masters would reflect on such a proposal,” said Dmitry Peskov, Kremlin spokesman.

Volodymyr Zelensky wrapped up his landmark international summit on peace in Ukraine, with more than 80 countries jointly calling for the “territorial integrity” of Ukraine to be the basis for any peace agreement.

“We believe that reaching peace requires the involvement of, and dialogue between, all parties,” stated a final communique, which also urged a full exchange of prisoners of war and the return of deported children.

A 24th Mechanised Brigade soldier carries a 120mm mortar to fire at Russian troops near Chasiv Yar, on Saturday - UKRAINIAN ARMED FORCES/REUTERS

Saudi Arabia, India, South Africa, Thailand, Indonesia, Mexico and the United Arab Emirates were among the countries that did not sign the final communique.

After the talks, Mr Zelensky said that Russia was “not ready” to discuss a just and lasting peace.

“Russia does not want peace, that is a fact,” Mr Zelensky said. “Russia and their leadership are not ready for a just peace, that’s a fact.”

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