By the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine is General-Colonel Oleksandr Syrskyi for Ukrinform
"We are deeply grateful to our Western allies, NATO countries, the European Union, and other partners for their support. Without such support, without the supply of weapons, ammunition, air defense systems, and heavy equipment, it would have been much more difficult for us to fight against a cunning and powerful enemy.
We would have been even more grateful if this assistance had been provided more quickly and in sufficient quantities. It is worth acknowledging: we could not achieve greater success during the Kharkiv offensive because we lacked resources. The lack of resources and the necessary quantity of ammunition allowed the Russians to dig in deeply in the soil of southern Ukraine, in the Zaporizhzhia region, and storming these positions without effective air support resulted in human and equipment losses for us. The recent case in Avdiivka is a testament to this. Undoubtedly, we would have retained these positions with a sufficient quantity of primarily air defense systems and artillery shells.
This is not a claim but a statement of fact. I believe that our allies have already realized who they are dealing with in Russia and would very much like to see our success in combating the enemy. We lack weapons; everything else we can manage on our own. We are grateful to our partners for every shell, for every ton of fuel. However, for effective operational planning, we need predictability in such supplies.
Currently, our defense forces are carrying out tasks along the entire vast front line, practically facing a shortage of armaments and ammunition. In these circumstances, transitioning to a strategic defense is a logical decision. However, the reverse is just as logical: if the West, as it claims, supplies Ukraine with everything its Armed Forces need, it would enable us to repel the enemy, no matter how many people Russia mobilizes, and finally end this war with a military victory over the adversary.
Yet, we are not sitting idle but are building up the capabilities of the domestic defense industry. If Europeans contribute to its development as promised, I believe we will eventually solve the "ammunition hunger" issue. Currently, Ukraine leads in terms of the number of innovations and domestic developments in weaponry, military equipment, and most importantly, in their practical use on the battlefield.
In this context, we can mention the rearming of artillery units with the domestic 155mm "Bohdan" howitzer, along with equipping it with an automatic fire control system. Soon, certain models of Western howitzers and domestic mortars are expected to be produced in Ukraine. This also applies to the development of modern missile armaments and counter-battery systems. Society is already quite familiar with the production of drones. Therefore, all these measures can provide us with an operational advantage over the enemy on the front line in the near future.
Another good example is the restoration and overhaul of American-made M777 howitzers. We have established the production of some components for these howitzers in Ukraine. During the restoration of each unit of this howitzer, 40% of the parts and spare parts made for the needs of the Ukrainian Armed Forces by domestic enterprises are used. The supply chain for maintenance, repair, and restoration has been shortened many times over, and the front line feels these qualitative changes."
