Commander-in-Chief of the Ukrainian Armed Forces Oleksandr Syrskyi held a working meeting with Micael Byden, Chief of Defense of the Swedish Armed Forces, to discuss the situation along the frontline.
Syrskyi shared details of the meeting on Facebook, Ukrinform reports.
“It is symbolic that our flags share the same colors. Our nations have been united by a common struggle against Muscovy since the early 18th century. Today, there is complete mutual understanding between our countries regarding cooperation to repel Russia’s full-scale aggression against Ukraine,” Syrskyi said.
During the meeting, Syrskyi provided his assessment of the battlefield situation along the 1,200 km-long frontline.
“The aggressor has an advantage in manpower, certain types of weapons, and military equipment, carrying out daily drone and missile attacks. However, Russia is paying a heavy price for every meter of Ukrainian land it tries to seize — approximately 1,500 killed and wounded per day,” Syrskyi said.
Byden reaffirmed Sweden’s unwavering commitment to supporting Ukraine, promising that assistance will continue despite challenges, in order to strengthen Ukraine’s defense capabilities and develop its military industry.
Syrskyi, in turn, expressed deep gratitude to the Swedish people for their consistent and increasing support, which is set to expand under the 2024-2026 cooperation plan.
“I was pleased to hear General Byden’s high praise of Ukraine’s successful Kursk offensive operation. I also showed him a video highlighting the role of Swedish-supplied Archer self-propelled artillery systems and CV-90 infantry fighting vehicles in this operation. Our soldiers highly appreciate the Archer system, calling it a ‘gun of the offensive’,” Syrskyi said.
Byden thanked Ukraine for sharing combat experience in repelling Russian aggression. He also noted that feedback from Ukrainian forces would help improve Swedish weaponry and military equipment.
The meeting also covered international support for Ukraine and cooperation with NATO and European allies, including Sweden as a newly accepted NATO member.
“We agreed to continue discussions on meeting the needs of Ukraine’s Air Force, particularly regarding the supply of Swedish-made aircraft. We have a difficult road ahead, but we must persevere and win. We stand strong with the unity of our people and the unwavering support of our allies — among them, our devoted and reliable friend, the Kingdom of Sweden,” Syrskyi said.
Photo credit: Commander-in-Chief of the Ukrainian Armed Forces / Facebook
Source: Ukrainian, Swedish army commanders discuss frontline situation
