Ukraine's Deputy Defense Minister, Lieutenant General Ivan Gavryliuk, recently shared how Russia is using its strong points in the war, including air superiority and an ample supply of ammunition.
In an article for Ukrinform, Gavryliuk detailed Russia's strategic use of these advantages to maintain high-intensity operations at the front.
Gavryliuk revealed that Russia's ammunition production and supply, including contributions from North Korea, have created a 7:1 ratio in favor of Russian forces since the start of 2024. This advantage allows Russia to sustain dominance over the battlefield for an extended period.
The Russian Air Force has been particularly effective, with its aircraft deploying guided aerial bombs against Ukrainian positions and territories. In just the first 77 days of 2024, Russian forces launched over 3,500 anti-aircraft missiles, a sixteenfold increase from the previous year.
The official emphasized that the F-16 fighter jets, which will increase the capabilities of the Defense Forces on the ground, will break the dominance of the Russians in the air.
"But the situation is such that we still do not have the F-16, and the stocks of ammunition of certain nomenclature are falling to a critical level. These and other factors make it difficult for the Defense Forces of Ukraine to fulfill the tasks of repelling the aggressor," the general summarized.
On February 17, Czech Republic's President Pavel declared the possibility of sending 800,000 shells to Ukraine shortly, pending financial support.
By March 7, Pavel confirmed that allies had raised the required funds to buy 800,000 artillery shells for Ukraine, with Germany, France, Belgium, the Netherlands, Poland, and more backing the Czech-led effort.
Tomasz Poyar, an advisor to Czech Prime Minister Fiala, suggested that the delivery of these shells to Ukraine, under the Czech campaign, is expected to start early this summer.
