Ukrainian Armed Forces Facing Critical Lack of Medical Supplies - Ex-Prime Minister

MOSCOW (Sputnik) - The Ukrainian armed forces are experiencing a critical lack of quality medicines and medical equipment as the numbers of injured soldiers have tripled amid the crumbling counteroffensive, former Ukrainian Prime Minister Nikolai Azarov stated on Monday.

"[Ukrainian President Volodymyr] Zelensky and his 'camarilla' are hiding that the Ukrainian armed forces have serious difficulties with medicines and equipment. The picture is rather grim in Ukrainian hospitals — no quality medical supplies and equipment," Azarov, who resigned amid Euromaidan protests in 2014 and moved to Russia, wrote on social media.

The problem is that Ukrainian authorities provide low quality medicines and only in urgent cases, the politician added. Meanwhile, the situation is being aggravated by the surging numbers of the injured in the wake of Ukrainian attempts to counter attack.

"Hospitals could receive up to 150 injured soldiers a day. The burden on the doctors themselves has increased accordingly. The staff has to carry out up to seven amputations in one workday. Ukrainian doctors do not hide that many wounded could have been saved, but they die because of poor-quality provision of medicines and medical equipment," the former cabinet head said.

Last week, a British newspaper reported that medical staff of the Ukrainian armed forces are complaining about faulty medical equipment and the lack of supplies, leading to an increase in the death toll in the wake of the counteroffensive.

The counteroffensive began on June 4. It is widely acknowledged that the Ukrainian counteroffensive had not been successful so far.