Kyiv pleas for arms grow louder as 100 to 200 soldiers die a day

'Take Us Out Of Grey Zone': Zelensky Says Ukraine Needs EU Membership

Ukrainian leaders are stepping up their pleas for the quick delivery of heavy weapons from the West — requests made ever more urgent as field officers and Ukrainian officials warn that soldiers are running out of ammunition for their Soviet-era weaponry. Artillery is critical for the war in the east, which is being fought mostly at long distances. Shortages of equipment and ammunition have left Ukrainian soldiers increasingly prey to withering attacks by the Russians and their superior firepower in cities like Sievierodonetsk, where Ukraine’s soldiers are trying to hold out despite being surrounded on three sides.

Mariana Bezugla, the deputy head of the national security, defence, and intelligence committee for Ukraine’s parliament, said Ukraine was quickly running out of Soviet-era ammunition for its big guns, and while it has plenty of ammunition for Nato artillery pieces, it still does not have enough of those weapons to replace the older equipment. On the front lines in the Donbas region, those shortages have meant that Ukrainian soldiers are conserving their shells and often are unable to return fire one-for-one.