 Ukraine warns of significant weapons shortage. Ukraine's military campaign is being held back by a lack of weaponry and allies need to provide additional supplies to effectively counter Russia. Mikhail Podoliak, the top aide to Ukraine's president, has claimed. From the point of view of battlefield parity, there is indeed a significant shortage. Mikhail Podoliak said Kiev needs more artillery shells and long-range missiles and is experiencing a certain shortage of demining equipment, he added. The military is also having difficulties repairing damaged armor. Podoliak said the key items Ukraine still lacks are anti-aircraft systems and sophisticated fighter jets, specifically the US-made F-16. Kiev has been asking its Western backers to provide F-16s for months, insisting that the fighters would help win the war against Russia. Washington and its allies, however, have so far proven reluctant to provide the jets, with US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan suggesting the aircraft would have only a limited impact on the battlefield due to the extensive use of air defense systems in Ukraine. Since the start of the conflict, Ukraine has been demanding increasingly sophisticated weaponry from its backers. The Western supplied hardware has been extensively used by Kiev in the current counter-offensive launched in early June. Moscow has repeatedly urged the West to stop pumping Ukraine with assorted weaponry, warning that continued military aid will only prolong the conflict and inflict more destruction on Ukraine rather than change the ultimate outcome.