Brigadni general Oleksandr Tarnavskyi govorio je nakon što su republikanski poslanici zadržali paket pomoći SAD-a od 60 milijardi dolara, a Mađarska je blokirala 50 milijardi eura (54,5 milijardi dolara) finansiranja Evropske unije za Kijev dok se bori protiv ruske invazije.
"Postoji problem sa municijom, posebno postsovjetskom (granata) - to je 122 mm, 152 mm. I danas ti problemi postoje na cijeloj liniji fronta", rekao je on u intervjuu.
Tarnavskyi je rekao da je nedostatak artiljerijskih granata "veoma veliki problem" i da je pad strane vojne pomoći imao utjecaja na bojno polje.
"Obim koji danas imamo nije nam dovoljan danas, s obzirom na naše potrebe. Dakle, mi ga preraspoređujemo. Preplaniramo zadatke koje smo sami sebi postavili i smanjujemo ih jer moramo da ih obezbijedimo", rekao je on, ne iznoseći detalje.
Komentari naglašavaju oslanjanje Kijeva na zapadnu vojnu pomoć u borbi protiv ruskih trupa duž fronta od 1.000 km, skoro 22 mjeseca nakon najvećeg sukoba u Evropi od Drugog svjetskog rata.
Ruske snage se također suočavaju s problemima s municijom, rekao je Tarnavskyi, ne precizirajući njihovu prirodu.
Umorne ukrajinske trupe na jugoistočnom frontu prešle su u defanzivu u nekim oblastima, ali pokušavaju da napadnu u drugim, rekao je on.
Ukrainian forces still expect victories but would benefit from reserves to rotate and rest them, he said.
"In some areas, we moved (to defence), and in some we continue our offensive actions - by manoeuvre, fire and by moving forward. And we are preparing our reserves for our further large-scale actions," he said.
RUSSIA'S CHANGING TACTICS
Tarnavskyi, commander of the "Tavria" operational grouping, led a counteroffensive that forced Russian troops out of the southern city of Kherson and the western side of the Dnipro River in November 2022, Kyiv's last major battlefield success.
He also had a prominent role in a larger-scale push in the southeastern region of Zaporizhzhia this year that made little progress against vast Russian trenches and minefields.
Russia is on the offensive in the east and trying to encircle the strategic eastern town of Avdiivka, whose defence Tarnavskyi oversees.
"Their (Russian forces') intention remains (the same). The only thing is that their actions change, tactics change... attacks are carried out constantly," he said.
The situation in Avdiivka was changing "every day and every night" with Russian forces regularly altering their tactics, having achieved "partial success in some areas at a depth of about 1.5 to 2km", he said.
"I believe that we are firmly maintaining these lines today," he said. "Today, the enemy is pressuring us with their numbers. They have never cared and will not care for their personnel."
Avdiivka is widely seen as vital to Russia's aim of wresting full control of the two eastern provinces of Donetsk and Luhansk - two of the four Ukrainian regions Russia says it has annexed but does not have full control of.
'EVERYONE HOPES'
Neither side has made significant territorial gains this year and the fighting is largely attritional.
Tarnavskyi said all brigades were working out ways to give personnel some rest.
"Today we have certain difficulties with the personnel that we have on the front lines. Yes, today they are not so fresh, not so rested," he said. "Every commander should have a reserve."
Kyiv has been discussing ways to improve the way men are conscripted into the army, and lawmakers are drawing up legislation to enhance the process, though the exact details are not yet known.
Tarnavskyi said winter conditions - the cold, reduced visibility and lack of cover from trees that have no foliage - were a challenge for both sides.
"But we have many years of experience of conducting military operations in winter conditions. Logistics, and evacuation and movement of equipment and personnel are complicated," he said.
Ukraine increasingly needs the means to defend itself against growing strikes by Russian attack drones, but Ukraine is banking on Western F-16 fighter jets being delivered, he said.
"With the presence of the F-16, it will be totally (different). In my opinion, as an infantry officer, the F-16 is like a Mercedes compared with a Zaporozhets (an old Soviet car)," he said. "Everyone is hoping."
