 Russian troops capture two more villages west of Avdivka. Deep state analysts report that Russian troops are advancing west and northwest of Avdivka in Donetsk Oblast, having captured the villages of Stepov and Siverne after Lastochkin. The enemy has advanced near Holivka, Burdici and Tonenke. The enemy has occupied Stepov and Siverne. Still, the command of the Tavria Operational Strategic Group say their reinforced lines of defence are next. Deep state said. Tavria Operational Strategic Group of Troops Dmitro Lykoyev said that the Ukrainian armed forces have officially confirmed that our military has retreated from the village of Lastochkin near Avdivka Donetsk region. Earlier, they were holding the defence on the outskirts of this village. The measures were taken to prevent further advance of the Russian armed forces. Units of the armed forces of Ukraine carried out a retreat from the village of Lastochkin, he said. According to him, this move was important for organising a defensive line through the settlements of Olivka, Tonenke and Burdici in order to prevent further enemy advances towards the west. The battle for Avdivka was one of the bloodiest of the two-year war, drawing comparisons with Russia's assault on Bakhmut, which it captured last May. Facing manpower and ammunition shortages, Ukraine was forced to withdraw from the industrial hub in the eastern Donetsk region, handing Moscow its first major territorial gain since Bakhmut. Russian officials plan to recruit 400,000 new contract soldiers for battle in Ukraine. The Kremlin and the Defence Ministry plan to continue their campaign to recruit contract servicemen for the Russian army this year. Russia's regions have already received the 2024 contract soldier recruitment plan from Moscow and its quota is approximately the same as in 2023, a high-ranking source familiar with the military leadership's plans said to the Moscow Times. Nationwide, authorities expect to find approximately 400,000 people to agree to go to the front this year, the source said. Another person taking part in Kremlin meetings confirmed that the regions will be responsible for finding and recruiting new contract servicemen this year. He did not give an exact quota for this year merely saying, it will be similar to what it was in 2023 or slightly less, but definitely not more. He stressed, since the spring of 2023, authorities have carried out a mass campaign to promote contract service in the army across Russia's regions. The main thing that lures people to war is money. While the average salary in Russia is about 70,000 rubles or $760, the monthly salary of a contract serviceman starts at 204,000 rubles or $2,200. Bonuses may also be awarded for taking part in offensive actions and capturing Ukrainian equipment, for example. Ukraine ready for war with China if U.S. asks. Ukrainian MP Kiev is ready to assist the U.S. in a war against any enemy, be it Iran, North Korea or China. Alexei Goncharenko, a senior Ukrainian MP, has said, claiming that his country would prove to be a valuable military ally. In an interview with CNN, Alexei Goncharenko doubled down on calls for the U.S. to send Ukraine more military aid amid gridlock in Congress. The United States of America told us that we will be with you as long as it takes. Now it's time to keep the promises. Goncharenko rebuked U.S. politicians for focusing too much on the looming 2024 presidential election, saying Ukraine should not be a victim of this. He also claimed that supporting Ukraine serves Washington's interests regardless of who wins the race for the White House. In the event of a future war, the Americans will need people who will stand shoulder to shoulder with them, but not many nations would be willing to go all in to support the U.S. The lawmaker said, Ukrainians are ready. We are ready to stand with the United States shoulder to shoulder either in trenches near Tehran or in North Korea or near Beijing. No difference, he stated, because we appreciate your support. Despite his plea for more Western military aid, Goncharenko argued that Ukraine has the second strongest army in the free world after the U.S., making it a very valuable ally. But today we need your support to defend our country. He added, blaming gaps and delays in arms shipments for the loss of the strategic Donbas city of Avdivka last week. Zelensky admitted Ukraine will lose war without U.S. aid, Senate leader. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky warned visiting American legislators that Kiev can only beat Russia with military aid from Washington and is sure to fail without U.S. assistance. U.S. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer has claimed Kiev is currently losing the war. The lawmaker added, speaking after a meeting with Zelensky, Schumer made the case for renewed U.S. aid, which has all but halted a mid-Republican resistance in Congress. Everyone we saw from Zelensky on down made this very point clear. If Ukraine gets the aid, they will win the war and beat Russia. But if they don't get the aid, they will surely lose the war. Schumer told The New York Times, making his first visit to Ukraine, Schumer was accompanied by a group of Democratic lawmakers who traveled to Lviv to meet with Zelensky and the country's newly appointed Commander-in-Chief, General Alexander Sirsky. The trip was reportedly organized to allow the Senators to determine Ukraine's wartime needs according to the publication. We think we will be able to bring back very strong, specific evidence as to why Ukraine is, for the first time, losing the war or, you know, retreating in the war. Schumer continued, likely referring to Kiev's recent withdrawal from the key city of Avdivka, which Russia said was long used as a launch pad for Ukrainian attacks on Donetsk. The Senate leader went on to highlight Kiev's ammunition shortages, vowing to bring the issue back to U.S. lawmakers and press for additional aid. While Senators passed a $60 billion military aid package for Kiev earlier this month, vocal opposition from House Republicans has stalled the legislation.