The successes of the Russian forces in the area of Rabotino are a serious blow to the morale of Ukraine

Russian forces have reclaimed lands that were fiercely contested by Ukrainian troops during the peak of their summer counteroffensive in the country’s south, at a time when Washington announced providing Kyiv with the latest package of military aid approved by Congress.

The New York Times reports on this.

These two events underscore the current realities of the conflict: Ukrainian troops find themselves struggling to contain Russian attacks along the entire front line with diminishing resources.

Russia’s recent successes in the area near the southern village of Rabotyne vividly illustrate these pivotal changes. In August, after several weeks of battles, Ukrainian brigades, trained and equipped by Western forces, retook the populated area. However, Russian forces recaptured a portion of the territory on the flanks, threatening to nullify even more of Ukraine’s successes.

“Without American munitions, we are starting to lose territories that were so hard-won this summer,” admitted Yegor Chernev, deputy chairman of the Ukrainian parliament’s committee on national security, defense, and intelligence last week.

Ukrainian military officials claim their forces are facing a shortage of necessary equipment and ammunition. Some soldiers and commanders have stated that the lack of supplies has forced them to scale back certain operations and shift to a defensive strategy.

Rabotyne was one of the rare successes of the Ukrainian counteroffensive. Its capture after several weeks of grueling battles—far longer than the few days initially anticipated by Ukrainian military leadership—underscored the immense difficulties Kyiv encountered while breaking through deep and dense Russian defenses. If Russian forces soon retake Rabotyne and return to Ukraine’s initial counteroffensive line, it will deal a significant blow to Ukraine’s morale.