Ukrainian commander's desperate plea for ‘serious equipment’ amid ‘constant losses’

Petro Kuzyk, a former politician and environmental activist, is the commander of Ukraine’s Svoboda or Freedom Battalion and has expressed gratitude for the weapons Ukraine has received from allies. However, he said Ukraine’s allies need to send them more “serious” weapons.

He told Sky News: “We need serious equipment and need more tanks.

“At the moment, we’re getting equipment for infantry soldiers.

“As a result, we have to fight a guerrilla war.

“The (British) NLAW destroys a tank from a distance of 400 metres.

“The (US) Javelin doesn’t work in a city where you have a lot of debris. You need field conditions.

“But Russian tanks are hitting us from a distance of two kilometres and hiding behind buildings.

“To destroy them we have to ambush them under constant artillery fire. It means constant losses.”

Mr Kuzyk insists that Ukrainian forces have retained control of around 40-60 percent of Severodonetsk. 

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“They just level them.”

Concern has been raised about the around 500 civilians sheltering in Severodonetsk’s Azot chemical plant.

Mr Kuzyk insists that they have chosen the wrong place to shelter as the plant is bound to be destroyed.

He said: “They are in the most vulnerable place because sooner or later the plant will be destroyed.

“It will be a catastrophe because it has a major stock of chemical substances.

“It will be an ecological catastrophe for the whole region.

“If an unpredictable explosion happens there will be no city, no city defenders, no attackers. It will demolish everything.”

source: express.co.uk