Delays in Western aid hamper Ukraine’s ability to build combat units – ISW

This was reported by the Institute for the Study of War (ISW).

They referenced a recent interview on CNN, where Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated that Ukraine "needs 14 brigades to be ready," but the country hasn’t been able to fully equip "even four" of them.

Zelenskyy explained that Ukraine is ramping up domestic drone production and transferring equipment from reserves and warehouses to fill the gap left by insufficient Western aid.

According to Zelenskyy, this shortfall, especially in armored vehicles and artillery, has led to heavy Ukrainian personnel losses.

ISW analysts stress that Ukraine's ability to fend off Russian attacks and seize the initiative on the battlefield heavily depends on Western military support, along with Ukraine’s efforts to replenish current units and create new ones — an area of considerable focus for the country.

However, they caution that simply increasing the number of Ukrainian infantry without a parallel boost in mechanized equipment won’t significantly enhance combat effectiveness.

• During his address at the Yalta European Strategy meeting on September 13, President Zelenskyy underscored Ukraine’s urgent need for permission to conduct deep strikes within Russian territory.