Kiev [Ukraine], February 15: NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said on February 14 that the alliance needed to ensure Ukraine had the weapons it needed to win, as hostilities entered their second year.
"We don't see any signs that Russian President Vladimir Putin is preparing for peace, what we see is that on the contrary, he is preparing for more conflict and new attacks. This is a war of attrition. , so it's also a logistical battle," he said.
Russia stepped up its attack
Speaking before a meeting of NATO defense ministers in Belgium, German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius also said on February 14 that Russia was stepping up its offensive in Ukraine .
He said he had directed the defense industry to step up the production of ammunition and the country's authorities had signed a contract for Rheinmetall (Germany) to restore the production of ammunition for the Gepard anti-aircraft artillery system. In the past three days, the Wagner mercenary group has made small progress in the northern outskirts of the city of Bakhmut in Donetsk, according to an intelligence report by the British Ministry of Defense on February 14. "Russia appears to want to reverse Ukraine's recapture of some areas from September to November 2022. There is a high probability that its immediate objective is to move west of the Zherberets," according to the report.
In addition, TASS news agency reported that Russian forces destroyed a Ukrainian ammunition depot in Kherson province in the south. "Artillery fire destroyed an ammunition depot near the village of Antonivka. Four vehicles were destroyed and the Ukrainian Armed Forces lost 15 people, in addition to 12 wounded," according to the news release. Ukraine has not commented on the information.
Key moment
As Russia ramps up its offensive, Ukraine receives more weapons from the West, and pressures to make progress in the hostilities.
The Washington Post reported on February 14 that US officials said Ukraine was facing a pivotal moment to change the trajectory of the war, increasing pressure on Kyiv to make significant progress. A senior US official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the White House finds it difficult for Congress to pass the same level of security and economic aid as before.
The US government is currently awaiting congressional approval of $10 billion in direct security assistance to Ukraine and is expected to announce another major military assistance package next week.
Showing the importance of the moment, US Vice President Kamala Harris, Secretary of State Antony Blinken and US Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas will attend the Munich Security Conference in Germany this week. US President Joe Biden will also visit Poland next week.
According to AFP, experts warn that the West is managing to produce ammunition for the weapons supplied to Kyiv. Speaking to the press, Mr. Stoltenberg said the war in Ukraine consumed a huge amount of ammunition and depleted the reserves of the supporting countries.
"Currently, the consumption of ammunition in Ukraine is many times higher than the production level. This puts the defense industry under pressure," he said. NATO Secretary General acknowledged the alliance was facing "problem", as the waiting time for large-caliber ammunition increased to 28 months.
Faced with these concerns, US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin during a NATO meeting in Belgium on February 14 affirmed his long-term support "for a free Ukraine". The same day, the Kremlin accused NATO of displaying hostility towards Russia on a daily basis and becoming increasingly involved in the conflict in Ukraine.
Source: ThanhNien Newspaper