Today, Ukraine's immediate task is to stabilize the front line at Kharkiv and prevent a major Russian breakthrough, but at the same time it has to deal with a number of problems accumulated since last year, writes The New York Times. And even American aid will not help her with this: according to the publication, "the situation will most likely get worse before it gets better”.
Since last fall, Ukraine has faced three interrelated problems: shortages of ammunition, people and fortifications. Under these conditions, the Ukrainian army is responding to the Russian breakthrough by deploying its best brigades and elite units along the entire front.
This approach means that these best parts do not have enough time to rest and recover and therefore "degrade” over time. "These are short-term decisions that have long-term consequences”, the NYT emphasizes.
As the American publication explains, the Ukrainian forces are already quite stretched, and the Russian troops, forcing the leadership of the Ukrainian armed forces to attract reserves and the best units to the defense of Kharkiv, weaken other sections of the front line. Therefore, even if American aid comes quickly and in sufficient quantities, for the next few months Ukraine will only have to defend itself and at the same time work to rebuild its armed forces.
"In the coming months, a lot will be at stake for her,”, says the NYT.