It's hard for Ukrainian soldiers, but aid will help to even out situation – Zelenskyy

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has convened a meeting of the Supreme Commander-in-Chief's Staff to discuss the situation at the front and challenges related to the supply of weapons and the defence of Ukrainian cities.

Source: Zelenskyy on Telegram

Quote from Zelenskyy: "First of all, [we discussed the latest events on] the battlefield. Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi presented a report. [Russian] occupying forces have been tasked with demonstrating at least some victories by 9 May, regardless of their losses. [9 May is when Russia celebrates Victory Day, a holiday commemorating the USSR’s 1945 victory over Nazism – ed.] Now, they are also being hurried along by the positive decisions made by Ukraine's friends. It's hard for our soldiers, but the arrival of the aid they need will help to even out the situation. That's why we need support immediately with specific weapons that our partners have at their disposal."

Details: The president also noted that the Staff had heard a report from Ukraine's Defence Minister Rustem Umierov regarding contracts with Ukrainian companies.

Zelenskyy issued an instruction that by the next Staff meeting, "all information available to our intelligence agencies regarding the Russian terrorists’ intentions to destroy civilian infrastructure should be collected, and a comprehensive plan for further action should be prepared".

This may include "redeploying air defence systems and spreading them wide wherever possible".

Background: Russia's Defence Ministry claimed on Monday that Russian forces had captured the village of Novomykhailivka, south of Marinka (Donetsk Oblast). However, Ukrainska Pravda found that this claim was false. Ukrainian Defence Forces hold the northern part of the village.

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