Kremlin-backed commander and former Russian plenipotentiary Oleksandr Khodakovsky said on Saturday that the Russian command has decided to almost completely stop the daily distribution of ammunition to areas of the front where there are no active offensive actions, the Kyiv Independent reports.

Khodakovsky, who now commands the pro-Moscow Vostok battalion, said the lack of advanced artillery was partly the result of preparations for a Ukrainian counteroffensive.

In its latest update, the Institute for the Study of War said Khodakovsky’s statement indicated that “the Russian command must strictly prioritize the supply of artillery ammunition due to shortages.”

“The high demand for projectiles indicates that Russian forces still rely heavily on artillery to compensate for key capability gaps, including Russia’s poor targeting capabilities, insufficient ground assault capabilities, and an insufficient air force presence in Ukraine,” ISW said. .

Russian forces are using heavy artillery to destroy populated areas, rather than exposing planes and pilots to Ukrainian air defenses and minimizing potential casualties before attempting an infantry intervention.

A continued shortage of Russian artillery shells will undermine the Russian military’s ability to continue to compensate for its other weaknesses and limitations.

The Washington Post previously reported that, by contrast, Ukrainian forces use a third less ammunition than the Russians, and that Ukrainian forces conserve ammunition by carefully prioritizing targets.

Ukrainian forces are more accurate at targeting, but are also likely to benefit from defense in most areas, as offensive operations usually require increased artillery