The new commander-in-chief of the Ukrainian armed forces, Oleksandr Syrsky, warned on February 14 after inspecting the eastern front line that the situation there is “extremely difficult” as delays in US military aid cast a shadow over Ukraine’s ability to hold the line.

The 1,000-kilometer (620-mile) front line has seen little movement in more than a year, with Ukrainian forces on the defensive after a failed counter-offensive last year and military leaders acknowledging that Russia has a manpower advantage.

Shirsky, who took over from Valery Zaluzhny, who was fired last week, visited the front line for the first time as commander-in-chief.

“The operational environment is extremely complex and stressful. The Russian occupying forces are continuously strengthening their forces and have a numerical superiority,” Shirsky said during a visit with Defense Minister Rustem Umerov to the area around Avdiivka in the eastern Donetsk region, where Russian forces are stepping up their offensive in an attempt to occupy the area.

“We are doing everything possible to prevent the enemy from advancing deep into our territory,” he said in a social media post, adding that troops on the front lines were operating in “extremely difficult conditions.”

Russian military bloggers and local officials have noted in recent days that the Ukrainian military appears to be saving on ammunition.

The Ukrainian military relies on Western aid for much of its weapons and equipment, primarily from the United States, where the latest $60 billion aid package for Ukraine is on hold due to a dispute in Congress. (AFP/Daria ANDRIIEVSKA)