Boris Johnson warns Russia is ‘chewing through ground’ in eastern Ukraine as he urges more support for Kyiv forces
- Boris Johnson has warned Russia is making ‘palpable progress’ in Donbas region
- The PM urged more military support for ‘incredibly heroic’ Ukrainian resistance
- Ministry of Defence says Putin’s forces have taken several villages recently
Boris Johnson today warned that Russia is ‘chewing through ground’ in eastern Ukraine as he urged more support for Kyiv’s forces.
The PM said Vladimir Putin’s military is making ‘palpable progress’ in the Donbas region despite the ‘incredible heroism’ of the resistance.
In an interview with Bloomberg, he said more offensive weapons including long-range multiple-launch rocket systems are needed to help counter the threat.
The Ministry of Defence says Putin’s invading troops have recently captured several villages as they attempt to surround Severodonetsk and Lysychansk in the Donbas.
Pro-Russian troops drive past a destroyed residential building in the town of Popasna in the Luhansk region yesterday
Boris Johnson (pictured today) said Vladimir Putin’s military is making ‘palpable progress’ in the Donbas region despite the ‘incredible heroism’ of the resistance.
But it said President Volodymyr Zelensky’s defending forces are holding ‘multiple defended sectors’ as Russia deploys 50-year-old Soviet-era T-62 tanks.
These, the intelligence update said, ‘will almost certainly be particularly vulnerable’ to anti-tank weapons and shows Russia’s lack of ‘modern, combat-ready equipment’.
Mr Johnson said: ‘I think it’s very, very important that we do not get lulled because of the incredible heroism of the Ukrainians in pushing the Russians back from the gates of Kyiv.
‘I’m afraid that Putin at great cost to himself and Russian military is continuing to chew through ground in Donbas, he’s continuing to make gradual, slow but I’m afraid palpable progress.
‘And therefore it is absolutely vital that we continue to support the Ukrainians militarily.’
An injured man is carried on a stretcher after shelling in Kharkiv yesterday
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