Ukraine said on Monday that Russian forces were increasing attacks and trying to gain territory before Kyiv’s army received more foreign military aid, including F-16 fighter jets. Russia has been advancing steadily in Ukraine’s eastern region of Donetsk and further south, citing manpower and ammunition shortages. Ukrainian army chief Oleksandr Syrsky mentioned that the arrival of F-16s will strengthen air defense and decrease chances of success for the enemy.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky expressed that current levels of military aid from abroad were insufficient and called for quicker deliveries of promised F-16 fighter jets and more air defense batteries. Russian forces were reported to be concentrating firepower on the Donetsk region, particularly the Pokrovsk front. In Kherson, a civilian was killed in a drone attack, and in Poltava, nine people were wounded and multiple buildings were damaged in another attack.