Despite Donbas Collapse Threat, Zelensky Vows to Reclaim Crimea... Pressures West for Support

Ukrainian Forces Cornered by Shortage of Heavy Weapons
Zelensky Criticizes "Germany's Delayed Weapon Deliveries"
"France, Germany, and Italy Leaders Likely to Mediate Ceasefire"

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Hyunwoo Lee] The Ukrainian military is reported to have been pushed back and cornered in the center of Sievierodonetsk, a strategic stronghold in the eastern Donbas region. Ukraine is demanding more weapons support from Western countries, but as Western support has stalled amid concerns of escalation, the war situation has become unfavorable. Amid growing efforts led by European countries to mediate a ceasefire, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky continued his tough rhetoric, vowing to reclaim the Crimean Peninsula.

According to CNN on the 13th (local time), the Ukrainian military was pushed out of the center of Sievierodonetsk, a key stronghold in the Donbas region, due to a Russian offensive. Sievierodonetsk is a crucial logistics hub where Ukrainian military supplies defending the Donbas region are concentrated. If this area falls completely, it is expected that Russian forces will fully occupy Donbas.

The reason for the unfavorable turn in the Ukrainian military's fortunes, which had performed well against Russian forces in the early stages of the war, is analyzed to be a severe shortage of heavy weapons compared to the Russian military. The Wall Street Journal (WSJ), citing military experts, pointed out, "In the flat terrain of the Donbas region, Russian forces continue long-range bombardments to neutralize Ukrainian troops," adding, "Russian forces possess 10 to 20 times more artillery than Ukrainian forces, causing continuous losses for Ukraine."

[Image source=EPA Yonhap News]

As the Ukrainian military is cornered, President Zelensky strongly demanded more heavy weapons support from the West, vowing to reclaim the Crimean Peninsula. In a video statement released that day, he emphasized, "We must advance further to liberate our territory, and naturally, we will liberate the Crimean Peninsula." He then targeted Germany, saying, "It is true that Germany's weapon shipments are slower than those of other neighboring countries," and pressured, "Germany should not try to find a balance between Russia and Ukraine."

This statement is interpreted as a response to the controversy over European countries focusing more on mediating a ceasefire between Ukraine and Russia rather than expanding weapons support. According to the German weekly Bild am Sonntag (BamS), German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, French President Emmanuel Macron, and Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi are scheduled to visit Kyiv before the G7 summit in Germany on the 26th. Bild am Sonntag reported that the three leaders are expected to jointly visit Kyiv and propose mediation for a ceasefire between Ukraine and Russia.

Such moves are also causing controversy within the European Union (EU). In an interview with the German daily Bild, Polish President Andrzej Duda said, "It is surprising that Chancellor Scholz and President Macron continue to talk with President Putin," adding, "This is useless and only legitimizes the person responsible for Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Was there anyone who talked with Hitler during World War II?" strongly criticizing the talks.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.