Zelenskiy Says More Soldiers, Equipment Needed To Disrupt Russian Offensive

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy says Ukraine should prepare "significant personnel," including reserves, to disrupt Russia's latest offensive operations in the war.

The situation at the front is "difficult, but stabilized" at the moment, Zelenskiy said, speaking in an interview that aired on April 6 on Ukrainian television.

But Ukraine needs to prepare a significant number of personnel in order to thwart Russia's actions, he said. Brigades to replace those fighting now "must be prepared," he said, adding that means that a large volume of reserves must be prepared.

"The reserve is not just made up of young men and women, but of people with experience who have undergone combat training and have combat experience," Zelenskiy said.

The vast majority of hostilities are taking place in the east of Ukraine in different areas, not just the city of Avdiyivka in the Donetsk region, which Ukrainian forces withdrew from two months ago, he said. And wherever Russian forces advance they are pushed back, while the Ukrainian military also makes progress and "taking steps forward."

He said the situation had stabilized, according to the military with which he said he was "in daily contact."

According to an assessment of the General Staff of the Ukrainian military issued early on April 6, 80 combat clashes took place at the front over the previous day, and Ukrainian troops repelled Russian attacks in six areas.

Zelenskiy's interview aired hours after Russian drones hit Kharkiv, killing at least seven people and wounding 10, officials said. Ukraine's second-largest city has experienced a series of increasingly frequent attacks.

SEE ALSO: At Least 7 Dead In Eastern Ukraine In Drone Attack

Analysts at the U.S. Institute for the Study of War (ISW) suggested on April 4 that Russian forces may be increasing the overall pace of their offensive operations. The ISW noted that the intensification of Russian mechanized offensive operations generally occurs simultaneously with the intensification of strikes on Ukrainian energy facilities.

Zelenskiy also repeated Ukraine's appeal for Patriot air-defense systems, warning that Ukraine could run out of missiles used to defend against Russian air strikes on energy system, towns, and cities.

"If they keep hitting (Ukraine) every day the way they have for the last month, we might run out of missiles, and the partners know it," Zelenskiy said.

Ukraine has enough air-defense stockpiles to cope for the moment, but it is already having to make difficult choices about where to use them and what to protect, he said.

Ukraine has specifically cited the need for Patriot systems in recent weeks. The sophisticated U.S.-made system has been used to protect against Russian attacks with ballistic and hypersonic missiles.

The Ukrainian president also said his country would agree to a U.S. aid package in the form of a loan.

"We will agree to any options," he said, adding that the key thing was that the aid arrived "the sooner, the better."

A supplementary spending bill that allocates some $60 billion in aid to Ukraine has stalled in the U.S. House of Representatives, where Republicans hold a slim majority, including some members who want Congress to prioritize border security over international military aid.

With reporting by Reuters