No first line of defense in Ukraine’s second city… “Russian troops simply walked in”.

Harkiv, Stalemate due to Lack of Troops and Weapons…”May is the Cruelest Month in Ukraine”
Zelensky Appeals for Faster Weapon Support,
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Russian airstrike at Harkiv
[EPA News photo, Reprinting and redistribution prohibited],
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, ‘(Seoul=Yonhap News) Reporter Lee Shin-young = As Russia continues its intense assault on Kharkiv, Ukraine’s second-largest city in the northeast, there are testimonies that the Ukrainian army is being overwhelmed without even establishing a first line of defense.’,
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, ‘ With the Western weapon support falling behind, the Ukrainian army is struggling with shortages of troops and weapons. As the dry weather hardens the ground in spring and the Russian army launches a major offensive, analysis suggests that May is becoming the “cruelest month.”‘,
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, ‘ The UK’s BBC reported on the 12th local time, citing a statement by Dmytro Yaroslavsky, commander of the Ukrainian special reconnaissance unit, about the desperate situation in Ukraine.’,
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, ‘ Commander Yaroslavsky showed BBC drone footage showing some Russian troops crossing the border and complained, “There wasn’t even a first line of defense,” and said, “The Russian army just walked in.”‘,
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, ‘ He criticized that although the authorities claimed to have spent a huge amount to build a defense line, in his view, there was no defense line at all.’,
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, ‘ He raised his voice, saying, “This is negligence or corruption,” and “It’s not a matter of shortage, it’s betrayal.”‘,
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, ‘ BBC reported that Yaroslavsky and his subordinates, who had driven out the Russian army from Kharkiv in the fall of 2022, are now facing a situation where they need to carry out the same operation again, expressing concern about what is happening on the Ukrainian defensive front.’,
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, ‘ According to BBC, CNN, and The New York Times (NYT), the Russian army has actually made significant advances along the Kharkiv border in recent days.’,
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, ‘ The Russian Defense Ministry had earlier claimed to have occupied villages such as Pleteniuka, Okhercheve, Borisivka, Filna, Strylecha, Hatycha, Krasne, Morokhobets, and Oliniyikove in Kharkiv.’,
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, ‘ Foreign media, in particular, pointed out that Ukraine and Western intelligence agencies were aware that Russia was reinforcing its troops along the border, but still failed to properly prepare a defense strategy.’,
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US House passes $130 billion aid bill for Ukraine, Israel, Taiwan (CG)
[Provided by Yonhap News TV],
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, ‘ The Ukrainian army has been struggling with a shortage of weapons for months, especially as the budget for weapon support in the U.S. Congress has been delayed.’,
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, ‘ Meanwhile, as the dry weather arrives, it has created an environment favorable for Russian tanks to advance.’,
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, ‘ Vadym Skibitsky, deputy head of the Ukrainian Defense Intelligence Agency (HUR), told The Economist, “Our problem is very simple. We have no weapons, and the Russian army knows that April and May are always the hardest months for us.”‘,
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, ‘ Taking advantage of the delay in Western weapon assistance, Russia is strengthening its offensive.’,
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, ‘ CNN analyzed that while Russia fires 10 shots, Ukraine can only fire 1 shot, and is at a numerical disadvantage.’,
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, ‘ To overcome these dire manpower conditions, Ukraine has passed a bill that can recruit individuals who are currently serving sentences for crimes.’,
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, ‘ Last month, a law on mobilization to strengthen conscription was also passed.’,
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, ‘ Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky stated, “When the support weapons arrive this week, we will be able to stop the Russian army from the east.”‘,
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, ‘ However, President Zelensky acknowledged the serious situation in Kharkiv and urged the West to speed up weapon support.’,
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, ‘ He said, “The amount of support that has arrived so far falls short of what was promised,” and appealed, “Please speed up the support.”‘,
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, ‘ However, some analysts predicted that although the situation in Ukraine appears serious, it will not be able to change the overall direction of the war.’,
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, ‘ Thibaud Puyo, deputy director of the French Institute for Strategic Defense Studies, analyzed that “it will have little impact on the overall war,” and that the current combat situation has left Russia in a ‘tactical stalemate’ as it has achieved limited results by investing heavily.’,
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, ‘ eshiny@yna.co.kr’,
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