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The Minister of Defense of Ukraine does not spare criticism: Half of the Western weapons arrive later than promised

The Minister of Defense of Ukraine does not spare criticism: Half of the Western

Half of Western military aid to Kiev is delivered later than promised, hampering Kiev's ability to defend itself against Russian attacks and costing Ukrainian lives, the country's Defense Minister Rustem Umerov said on Sunday.

Ukraine, which is struggling with ammunition shortages, has said for months that Western aid is too slow to reach it and that the setbacks have real consequences as the war against Russia enters its third year.

"At the moment, engagement does not amount to surrender, " Umerov said during a forum dedicated to the second anniversary of the Russian invasion.

"Fifty percent of pledges are not delivered on time ," he added, writes The Guardian. 

Europe has admitted it will be far off schedule to send more than a million artillery shells to the country by March, instead hoping to complete deliveries by the end of the year.

Umerov said such delays put Ukraine at a further disadvantage "against Russia, which the West has said is increasingly building a war economy.

According to him, Kiev "will lose people, lose territories", especially given Russia's "air superiority".

" We do everything possible and impossible, but without timely supply it hurts us ," he said.

Kiev has been weakened by a lack of ammunition in recent weeks, with a vital US$60 billion aid package blocked by political wrangling in the US Congress.

US President Joe Biden said the setbacks directly contributed to Ukraine being forced to withdraw from the front-line town of Avdiivka in early February, giving Russia its first territorial gain in almost a year.

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