Ukraine expects "extremely difficult weeks" against the Russian army

Ukraine announced that it expects "extremely difficult weeks" in the face of the Russian army "which has mobilized its forces to launch a major offensive in the east" of the country, whose control has become a priority for Moscow.

"We have very difficult weeks ahead of us," Ukrainian Defense Minister Oleksiy Reznikov warned in a statement posted on Facebook, urging his citizens to "resolve and unite" more than two months after the start of the Russian invasion of their country.

"Unfortunately, we will lose more soldiers before we win," he added, noting that "there will be more destruction and more casualties" and that the Russian army, "which has become aware of its strategic defeat, will try to inflict as much suffering as possible" on the Ukrainian soldiers, whom he urged "to persevere." ».

Earlier in the day, the Ukrainian army acknowledged the advance of Russian forces in the east of the country as they took control of several locations in the Kharkiv region and in the Donbass.

On April 18, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky announced the start of the Russian offensive on the east of the country, part of which has been controlled by pro-Russian separatists since 2014, and which is now Moscow's first target.

Reznikov said with regret that "the implementation of agreements (with foreign countries), training and logistical arrangements will take some time," but he promised that "aid to Ukraine will increase" in the coming days.

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