Budanov: Ukraine faces 'difficult situation' starting mid-May
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Ukraine is about to face a "difficult" but "not catastrophic" situation on the front in the near future, starting from mid-May, Ukraine's military intelligence chief Kyrylo Budanov said in an interview with the BBC published on April 22.
Amid delays in U.S. aid and intensifying Russian attacks, Kyiv has entered what some have called the most difficult phase of the full-scale war since early 2022.
"A difficult situation awaits us in the near future. But it will not be catastrophic, let's be clear," Budanov told the BBC on April 19, days before the U.S. House of Representatives approved additional aid for Ukraine.
"There will be no Armageddon, as many are saying... We will not talk about it at length now, but there will be a difficult period. Mid-May, early June."
President Volodymyr Zelensky has said that Russia may launch a major offensive either at the end of May or in June.
Speaking on the topic of how Russian forces changed since the start of the full-scale war, Budanov acknowledged that Moscow's infantry has better equipment now than before.
At the same time, Russia is dealing with the deteriorating quality of military vehicles and other heavy hardware since it is mainly "repaired, restored equipment from warehouses for long-term storage."
"As for the quality of the personnel: those who took part in the first phase of the full-scale invasion in 2022 were real professionals, contractors with combat experience.
"But since then, almost none of them are left. Russia is fighting with mobilized forces."
According to Budanov, Russian morale has improved following their capture of Avdiivka, "but this was a temporary phenomenon."
Following the conquest of Avdiivka, a key front-line city in Donetsk Oblast, Russia began focusing its efforts on Chasiv Yar, a town west of occupied Bakhmut.
Commander-in-Chief of Ukraine's Armed Forces Oleksandr Syrskyi said on April 13 that the situation on Ukraine's eastern front has "significantly deteriorated in recent days."
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