On 11 February, the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, General Valerii Zaluzhnyi had a phone conversation with the Chairman of the United States Joint Chiefs of Staff, General Mark A. Milley.
During the phone call, General Zaluzhnyi informed General Milley about the results of the Russian massive missile attack on Ukraine carried out on 10 February, stressed the need to strengthen the air defense of Ukraine, and shared his concern about Russia’s use of unmanned maritime surface vehicles, which poses a threat to civilian ships in the Black Sea.
Thus, General Zaluzhnyi indirectly confirmed that Russia had used marine kamikaze drones to hit the bridge in Odesa Oblast (southern Ukraine) last night.
Furthermore, General Zaluzhnyi informed his American colleague about the operational situation in Donetsk Oblast (eastern Ukraine), where the Russian forces carry out up to 50 attacks on Ukrainian positions every single day.
“Fierce fighting continues in the area of Vugledar and Mariinka (Donetsk Oblast). We hold the defense,” Zaluzhnyi said. “In some areas of the front, we managed to regain previously lost positions and gain a foothold there.”
Ukrainian forces have recently regained lost soil in certain areas of the Donbas region. The key to Ukrainian success on the battlefield is effective fire, which requires an appropriate amount of weapons and ammunition, Zaluzhnyi said. The city of Bakhmut, which remains the hottest spot on the war map for months, is currently under firm Ukrainian control. Ukrainian forces take measures to stabilize the frontline around this city, Zaluzhnyi added.
Finally, Zaluzhnyi thanked General Milley for his understanding of the needs of the Ukrainian Defense Forces to repel Russian armed aggression, his significant personal contribution to the victory of Ukraine, and the unwavering support of the American people.
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- Ukraine says it will not strike Russian territory with new longer-range missiles – Reuters
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- Russia buys US-made components for electronic warfare systems through Chinese, Turkish intermediaries – Russian media