51�Թ�

In addition, the army has sacked the major in charge of fire support.

As a result, Ukrainian forces have been forced to proceed at a deliberate pace, attacking Russian artillery and other fire support before attempting to create assault lanes with mine-clearing line charges and armored vehicles with plows.

He is a joint fire support specialist assigned to the 75th Ranger Regiment, said Lt.

His unit, the 17th Tank Battalion, is still being called on to provide fire support to Ukrainian forces desperately clinging on to the edges of Bakhmut, the eastern Ukrainian city which Russia has spent months trying to capture.

"The war in Ukraine shows once again that fire support over short, medium and long range is essential," Van der Maat said in a separate statement on the Defence Ministry's website.