The CIA director warned on Thursday that “Ukraine could lose on the battlefield by the end of 2024” in its war with Russia.

Speaking at the George W. Bush Presidential Center in Dallas, William Burns said Ukraine “has run out of ammunition and we’re running out of time to help them,” in a swipe at U.S. lawmakers who have blocked additional aid to Ukraine. attack. .

“With additional assistance from the U.S. Congress, I think the Ukrainians can hold their own on the battlefield in 2024 and continue to cause damage to Crimea and the Black Sea Fleet,” the CIA director said.

Without aid, Burns said, “the situation would be even more dire.”

Ukrainian President Zelensky said in a speech late Thursday that the military is expected to produce 10 Bokhdana howitzers this month. “This is a good result for the country’s production of defense materials,” the president said.

The president said the talks with the military also included discussions on Ukrainian border communities, including topics such as the information sector, access to Ukrainian television signals and blocking Russian propaganda.

Zelensky said Russian propaganda “always leads to instability and, in the worst case, attempted occupation.” He said Ukraine and its partners would “work together” to resist any Russian influence and address any technological challenges.

The Ukrainian military said on Thursday it had shot down all 13 drones launched by Russia in overnight attacks, while the Russian military reported destroying 20 Ukrainian drones.

The Ukrainian Air Force said its air defense systems are in operation in the Dnepropetrovsk, Ivano-Frankivsk, Kherson, Khmelnytsky, Poltava, Ternopil and Vinnitsa regions Intercepted the drone.

Dnipropetrovsk Region Governor Serhiy Lysak reported damage to two houses in Telegram but no casualties.

Ivano-Frankivsk Region Governor Svitlana Onyshchuk said on Telegram that debris from the downed drone had started several fires.

Most of Ukraine’s air strikes have focused on the Belgorod region along the border between the two countries.

The Russian Defense Ministry said it destroyed 16 drones and two missiles over Belgorod, where local governor Vyacheslav Gladkov reported damage to a house and one person Injuried.

Russian air defense systems also shot down three drones over the Rostov region and one over Voronezh, the Russian Defense Ministry said.

Rostov Governor Vasily Golubev said falling debris damaged an industrial building and injured one person.

G7 meeting

Foreign ministers from the Group of Seven major industrial nations are due to discuss Russia’s war on Ukraine at a meeting in Italy on Thursday, with Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba also expected to take part.

NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg will participate in one of the meetings focused on support for Ukraine.

Ukrainian officials have repeatedly urged allies to provide more military support, especially air defense systems, to defend against Russian drone and missile attacks.

Secretary of State Antony Blinken will also raise U.S. concerns about China’s support for Russia’s defense industry, the State Department said.

State Department spokesman Matthew Miller told reporters on Tuesday that over the past few months, the United States has observed the transfer of supplies from China to Russia, which is using the supplies to rebuild its defense industrial base and produce the weapons that will appear on the battlefield in Ukraine. .

Information for this report was obtained in part from The Associated Press, AFP and Reuters.