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Russian troops have intensified attacks in several areas along the front line over the past few days, but failed to break through Ukraine’s defense lines, Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi said on Dec. 19.Syrskyi described the battlefield situation as “extremely difficult.”His statement comes as Russia keeps on advancing in Donetsk Oblast in an attempt to occupy the key towns of Pokrovsk and Kurakhove. Ukraine’s General Staff has recorded a total of 250 front-line clashes over the past day. “In the heavy battles, Ukrainian defense forces did not allow Russian forces to breach the defense and achieve operational success in any direction,” Syrskyi said following a phone call with Admiral Tony Radakin, the head of the U.K.’s Armed Forces.Syrskyi said that, according to Radakin, London will “significantly increase” certain aspects of its support for Ukraine in 2025.Throughout 2024, Ukraine has faced a challenging situation in its defense of the front line. Apart from Donetsk Oblast, Ukraine expects Russian forces to launch larger-scale attacks in Kherson and Zaporizhzhia oblasts. Syrskyi said on Dec. 17 that Russian forces were also carrying out an intensive offensive in Kursk Oblast, deploying North Korean troops to help oust Ukrainian troops fighting in the Russian region since early AUgust.As US pushes Kyiv to lower draft age, why won’t Ukraine conscript younger men?One thing stands out when looking at Ukraine’s Armed Forces — it is made up predominantly of older men. Ukraine has never publicly released information about the age of its troops, but the average age is reportedly around 43 years old. Exact figures on the size of Ukraine’s armed
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