For the eleventh month of the war in Ukraine, the intensity of artillery shelling by the Russian army has significantly decreased, in some areas it has decreased by 75%. This is reported by CNN, referring to Ukrainian and American officials.
Interlocutors of the TV channel in the United States said that Russian forces are now firing about five thousand rounds a day, compared to the previous 20 thousand. According to Ukrainian sources, Russia fires 20,000 shells instead of the previous 60,000.
CNN sources do not undertake to say what is the reason for the drop in the intensity of shelling. According to one version, the Russian army is saving shells due to their shortage, according to another, it is changing tactics against the backdrop of successful counter-offensives of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. US officials admit that the decision to change tactics was made by General Sergei Surovikin, who in October was appointed to command a joint group of Russian troops in Ukraine. In the US, Surovikin is considered more competent than his predecessors in this position, CNN notes.
American sources also said that while Russia previously experienced a shortage of precision-guided munitions such as ballistic and cruise missiles, now there is a shortage of conventional weapons as well.
At the same time, massive shelling continues in some directions: the Russian army is still actively shelling Bakhmut, Kremennaya and Kherson.
As for the Ukrainian army, writes CNN, it has been forced to save ammunition since the beginning of the war. Having quickly used up its own reserves, Ukraine relies on Western supplies. The Armed Forces of Ukraine on average produce four to seven thousand rounds per day.
Earlier, on January 8, British intelligence reported in a report that Russian forces are now focused on strengthening defense lines, especially in the Zaporozhye region. The British Ministry of Defense believes that Moscow is afraid of the offensive of the Armed Forces of Ukraine either in the Zaporozhye or in the Luhansk direction.
