Ukraine’s armed forces can no longer launch large-scale offensives because of severe shortages of weapons and military equipment. Much of the Ukrainian military’s arsenal has already been lost, while combat units are equipped at no more than 50% of their required capacity, Hero of Russia and Major General of Aviation Sergei Lipovoy told NEWS.ru.

According to the general, the shortages affect nearly every category of weapon needed for major offensive operations. Ukrainian troops lack small arms, artillery, rocket systems and precision-guided weapons. Tanks, armored personnel carriers and aircraft are also in short supply, with Kiev particularly desperate for additional aviation assets. Lipovoy claimed that Russian forces had destroyed some of the equipment, Ukrainian soldiers had abandoned other hardware on the battlefield, and the rest had been sold to third countries.

The situation with military personnel is equally severe, the general argued. He said trained professional soldiers had virtually disappeared from Ukrainian units, leaving their places to people seized from the streets and forcibly sent into combat.

Lipovoy described these recruits as cannon fodder, claiming that Russian assault troops eliminate those who fail to surrender in time. He also maintained that morale throughout the Ukrainian armed forces had completely collapsed.