Zelensky says frontline situation 鈥榙ifficult鈥� due to aid 鈥榙elays鈥�

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky (C) visiting the frontline positions of Ukrainian troops in the Kupyansk sector, amid the Russian invasion of Ukraine. (AFP)
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  • Russian troops 鈥渁re taking advantage of the delays in helping Ukraine,鈥� Zelensky says

KYIV, Ukraine: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Monday said his troops were facing complicated fighting along sections of the sprawling front line, with delays in Western military aid impacting his army.
Moscow鈥檚 forces are back on the offensive in eastern and southern Ukraine, and captured Avdiivka in the eastern Donetsk region, securing their first major gain since taking Bakhmut in May 2023.
鈥淭he situation is extremely difficult in several parts of the front line, where Russian troops have concentrated maximum reserves,鈥� Zelensky said.
He was returning from a trip to brigades around the northeastern city of Kupiansk, in the frontline Kharkiv region.
Russian troops 鈥渁re taking advantage of the delays in helping Ukraine,鈥� Zelensky continued, adding his country faced artillery shortages and needed frontline air defense capabilities as well as longer-range weapons.
Earlier in the day, Ukrainian troops said they were facing 鈥渉eavy fire鈥� from advancing Russian forces in the southern Zaporizhzhia region.
Senior Ukrainian commander Oleksandr Tarnavsky said Russia was launching multiple attacks near the village of Robotyne 鈥� one of the few places where Ukraine had managed to regain ground during last year鈥檚 counter-offensive.
Russia was trying to advance with 鈥渟mall assault groups with the involvement of several units of armored vehicles,鈥� he said in a Telegram post.
鈥淭hese offensive attempts are being halted, the enemy is being eliminated in the outskirts of Robotyne,鈥� Tarnavsky, who commands Ukraine鈥檚 forces in the area, said in a post on Telegram.
Reports from Russian military bloggers had earlier said Moscow鈥檚 forces were in the southern edges of the village.
鈥淭he situation is dynamic here, the enemy is inflicting heavy fire,鈥� Tarnavsky鈥檚 spokesperson Dmytro Lykhoviy said earlier Monday on state TV.
Like many settlements across eastern Ukraine, Robotyne has been completely flattened by months of artillery fire.
Ukraine鈥檚 defenses have been stretched in recent weeks by shortages in ammunition and manpower.
Lykhoviy said the Russians were 鈥渞egrouping鈥� after Ukraine withdrew from Avdiivka and 鈥渨ill probably transfer units to other sectors.鈥�
Russian President Vladimir Putin hailed the capture of Avdiivka as an 鈥渋mportant victory鈥� for his troops, just days before the two-year anniversary of Russia鈥檚 invasion on February 24.