- Russian forces are increasing their attacks, clashing with the Ukrainians sometimes 50 times a day in some areas.
- Russia's increased capabilities are giving it an advantage over Ukraine.
- Aid for Ukraine is uncertain at the moment, putting its fight in jeopardy.
Russia has been ramping up its attacks in various sectors of the front, and there have been numerous clashes in the last few days, according to Ukrainian military officials.
Ukrainian Brig. Gen. Oleksandr Tarnavskyi wrote in a Telegram post Saturday that in his area, "for the second day in a row, the enemy has conducted 50 combat clashes daily."
Other Ukrainian military officials have emphasized the frequency of Russian attacks. A military spokesperson repeated the 50 attacks figure in a separate discussion of Russian activities, highlighting the intensity in certain sectors.
"The invaders are very active, they have increased the number of offensive and assault operations," said Ukrainian military spokesperson Oleksandr Shtupun, according to a Sunday CNN report. "The enemy is active in all directions."
"The enemy is amassing forces," Sgt. Oles Maliarevych with the 92nd Separate Brigade said on Ukrainian television, per the same recent CNN report. "They assault every day."
Russia has been carrying out assaults in Avdiivka in Donetsk Oblast and Kupyansk in Kharkiv Oblast, among other locations.
"The enemy has carried out 100 airstrikes in the operational zone of the Tavria Joint Task Force within seven days," Tarnavskyi wrote on Telegram. Tarnavskyi is stationed in the Tavria Zone located in Zaporizhia, another area Russia has targeted.
In this area, "the enemy is trying to recapture lost ground," Shtupun said.
Russia restarted offensive operations in the fall and has restored capabilities to launch attacks. It has replenished some of its precision-guided munitions stockpiles. It is also replacing troops lost in combat, and it is believed to be capable of producing around 100 tanks a month, enough to replace losses. Also due to outside assistance and domestic industry changes, Russia has sufficient amounts of artillery ammunition.
"Russia holds material, industrial, and manpower advantages in 2024, along with the initiative," conflict experts wrote in a recent War on the Rocks commentary. But, they noted, Western support and a change in strategy could make a difference.
Right now, though, Ukraine's military resources, particularly ammunition, are dwindling with the lack of key Western aid.
US aid for Ukraine has stalled in congress as Republican and Democrat lawmakers have been unable to come to a consensus on billions of dollars in funding proposed in October 2023.
Ukrainian President Zelenskyy warned in an interview on January 23 that if it does not receive support, "Ukraine will struggle, Ukraine will be weaker, and this will be an opportunity for Russia to invade us."