The Russian military is intensifying its attacks in Ukraine, trying to conquer as much territory as possible before Ukraine receives additional military aid from the West, including F-16 aircraft, said Ukraine's top military commander, Oleksandr Sirski.
"The enemy is well aware that as a result of the gradual receipt of a significant amount of weapons and military equipment from our partners, and the arrival of the first F-16s that will strengthen our air defenses, time will play in our favor and that his chances of success will decrease," Sirski said on Telegram.
As reported by RSE in English, he added that this is why the command of the Russian troops is currently making every effort to increase the intensity of the attack, in order not to exhaust the Ukrainian troops, disrupt training and prevent the transition to active offensive actions.
As he added, Russian forces have focused on the front in Pokrovsk, in the eastern Ukrainian region, Donetsk.
Siriski says Moscow's forces there are closing in on a key transit point and supply route linking civilian centers in the industrial north of the territory with cities further south.
Sirisky's assessment came after Ukraine's president, Volodymyr Zelensky, said the current level of Western military aid was not enough to guarantee Ukraine's victory over invading Russian forces.
Zelensky, like other Ukrainian officials, has repeatedly called on Ukraine's Western allies to speed up arms deliveries, especially promised fighter jets and air defense systems.
At a two-day gathering in a Swiss resort at the weekend, 80 countries called for Ukraine's "territorial integrity" to be the basis of any peace deal to end Russia's war.
Russia's absence, as well as China's decision to stay away from the Ukraine-initiated Global Peace Summit, dampened hopes for any progress.
India, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates were among the participants who did not sign the final document, which focused on issues of nuclear safety, food security and prisoner exchanges.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on June 17 that the summit produced "zero" results.
He added that the Russian president, Vladimir Putin, "is still open to dialogue and serious discussion."
Ahead of the summit, Putin issued terms for a ceasefire, including for Ukraine to hand over control of four regions. The proposal was immediately rejected by Kiev and its Western allies.
NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg strongly condemned the terms, adding that they would lead to further aggression and occupation.
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