Ukrainian soldiers say Russian tanks are 'the scariest thing'

Russian forces have recently been attacking many Ukrainian positions along the nearly 1,000-kilometer frontline, especially in the eastern region. “ They continue to fire. Their planes are constantly flying over our heads ,” Dmytro, a Ukrainian soldier from the 1st Assault Brigade, said on January 31 about the situation on the frontline.

“ But perhaps the scariest thing was the Russian tanks,” Dmytro emphasized. “We could hear the planes when they flew over, but we couldn’t hear the tank shells when they fired. When you encounter tanks, God help you .”

Dmytro said Russian artillery posed a serious threat on the battlefield, but Russian tanks were the weapon Ukrainian soldiers feared most. The British Ministry of Defense said Ukraine had inflicted heavy losses on Russian armored forces. Since the conflict began, about 2,600 Russian tanks have been taken out of action.

But the British Ministry of Defense also said that the Russian army still has enough tanks to replace those lost on the battlefield, because the Russian defense industry still regularly produces about 100 tanks per month.

Meanwhile, the Ukrainian military has recently been struggling with a shortage of weapons and ammunition, especially as important aid from the United States has yet to be approved by the country's Congress. Many of Ukraine's Leopard 2 tanks are out of service due to a lack of spare parts for repairs.

Russian tanks move through the town of Armyansk in northern Crimea on February 24, 2022. Photo: CNBC

“ It is obvious that we are short of artillery shells at the moment. We are trying to fight effectively and shoot as accurately as possible to hit the enemy’s firing positions, ” said a Ukrainian UAV operator named Nazariy.

According to Ukrainian officials, Russia has stepped up its attacks in some areas in recent days, with up to 50 clashes taking place a day in some areas.

“ The situation is very tense, Russia has more military equipment and manpower. Every day they continue to attack our positions ,” Dmytro said.

Russia has recently increased its defense industry output and military recruitment. Recent statistics show that in addition to being able to produce up to 100 tanks per month, Russia still has enough capacity to replace the troops lost in the battles with Ukraine.

Meanwhile, Ukraine has not received any new military aid packages from the US for about a month. The Pentagon admitted that the US cannot repair the weapons it has delivered to Ukraine that have broken down on the battlefield.

On January 23, Major General Patrick Ryder, a Pentagon spokesman, made a commitment to the Ukrainian military: “ We will continue to work closely with Congress and call for additional aid as soon as possible .”

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has previously expressed concern that a lack of aid from Western countries would result in “ many Ukrainians being killed or injured .” Ukrainian officials say their forces are still holding out and are running low on ammunition.

Le Hung (Source: Military View)

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