KYIV: The situation for Kyiv on its front line is expected to deteriorate in the coming weeks, Ukraine’s head of military intelligence said in an interview published on Monday.
His assessment comes as outgunned and outmanned Ukrainian troops struggle to hold back Russian forces, who have gained ground in recent months and are likely to soon step up their offensive.
Kyrylo Budanov told the BBC’s Ukrainian service that in his opinion, a rather difficult situation was awaiting Ukraine in the near future, but it was not catastrophic.
Armageddon will not happen, as many people are now saying, he told the BBC’s Ukrainian service. But there will be issues starting from mid-May, he added.
Moscow has in recent weeks regularly claimed new gains in eastern Ukraine.
On Monday, Russia’s defence ministry said its forces had seized the village of Novomykhailivka, some twenty kilometres (12 miles) away from Vugledar, which Russian troops have been trying to capture, AFP reported.
The ministry announced other gains near the eastern town of Chasiv Yar over the weekend.
Taking control of Chasiv Yar’s strategic heights would open the road for Moscow to other important towns in the Donbas region of eastern Ukraine.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has said Russian troops want to capture Chasiv Yar by May 9, when Moscow marks the Soviet Union’s victory over Nazi Germany in World War II.
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Ukraine has for months struggled with a growing ammunition shortage but that is likely to improve in the coming weeks, with the US on Saturday finally approving a 61-billion dollar package of military aid to help battle Moscow.
