Originally posted by the Voice of America.
Voice of America content is produced by the Voice of America,
a United States federal government-sponsored entity, and is in
the public domain.


Zelenskyy says Ukraine working to improve drone program, pleads for Patriot
missiles

by VOA News

   Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Monday his country is
   working to increase its drone capabilities, as Ukraine fights to
   repulse a Russian invasion launched more than two years ago.

   His comment came a day after he made fresh pleas to allies to send more
   Patriot air defense systems "as soon as possible."

   Ukraine has faced daily drone and missile attacks from Russia,
   including strikes on multiple cities and energy infrastructure sites.

   "We are still waiting for the supplies Ukraine was promised," Zelenskyy
   said in his nightly video address Sunday. "We are expecting those
   volumes and scope that can change the situation on the battlefield in
   Ukraine's interests," he added.

   Zelenskyy said he had just spoken with U.S. House Minority Leader
   Hakeem Jeffries and thanked Congress for passing a stalled aid package
   that includes $61 billion for Ukraine.

   "In my conversation with Mr. Jeffries, I underscored that Patriot
   systems are needed, and as soon as possible," he added.

   Jeffries said on X the United States "will continue to stand with the
   Ukrainian people in your valiant and courageous fight against Russian
   aggression."

   Ukrainian troops, outnumbered by Russian ground forces, are retreating
   from positions in eastern Ukraine as Russian troops advance westward,
   Ukrainian Colonel General Oleksandr Syrskyi said Sunday.

   Syrskyi said that Kyiv's outnumbered troops had fallen back to new
   positions west of three villages on the eastern front where Russia has
   concentrated significant forces in several locations.

   "The situation at the front has worsened," the top general wrote on the
   Telegram messaging app, saying the "most difficult" areas were west of
   occupied Maryinka and northwest of Avdiivka, a strategically important
   town captured by Russian forces in February.

   Ukraine's eastern front lines in the Donetsk and Kharkiv regions have
   seen fierce clashes in recent weeks as Russian forces seek to grind out
   gains along the more than 1,000-kilometer front line. Additionally,
   shortages of ammunition and personnel have increasingly hamstrung
   Ukraine's defenses, according to the Institute for the Study of War, a
   Washington-based research group.

   The institute, however, assessed that despite Russian advances, it is
   not likely that Kyiv's defensive lines will collapse.

   In his post, Syrskyi expressed hope that once the U.S. starts suppling
   the weapons promised under the aid package signed into law by President
   Biden last week, the situation will stabilize on the battlefield.

   Syrskyi also said that fresh Ukrainian brigades were replacing worn out
   units that had suffered losses in those areas.

   Some information for this report was provided by Reuters, The
   Associated Press and Agence France-Presse.

   The Voice of America provides news and information in more than 40
   languages to an estimated weekly audience of over 326 million people.
   Stories with the VOA News byline are the work of multiple VOA
   journalists and may contain information from wire service reports.