Ukraine retreats from 3 villages in the east as Russia pushes forward

Ukraine’s outnumbered troops have been forced to retreat from three villages on the eastern front lines, the country’s top commander said Sunday, as Russian forces push to break through its beleaguered defenses while Kyiv waits for newly committed U.S. military aid to arrive.

Ukraine’s outnumbered troops have been forced to retreat from three villages on the eastern front lines, the country’s top commander said Sunday, as Russian forces push to break through its beleaguered defenses while Kyiv waits for newly committed U.S. military aid to arrive. 

It was a rare admission from Ukraine’s new commander-in-chief, Oleksandr Syrskyi, that his troops were not only struggling, but also that Russia was gaining the upper hand. 

In a lengthy post on his Telegram channel Sunday, he said the situation on the front lines had “worsened.”

“Trying to seize the strategic initiative and break through the front line, the enemy has concentrated main efforts in several directions, creating a significant advantage in forces and means,” Syrskyi said. “It’s actively attacking along the entire frontline, in some areas — it has tactical successes.”

He said his forces had “moved to new frontiers” west of three villages in the partially-occupied Donetsk region in Ukraine’s east, including Berdychi, Semenivka and Novomykhailivka. The Russian Defense Ministry claimed to have taken Novomykhailivka twice in the last week, on April 22 and again Saturday. It also claimed to have taken Semenivka on Monday morning.

https://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/ukraine-retreats-east-villages-seized-russia-us-aid-rcna149731

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