war of aggression in Ukraine
London: War is costly and harmful to Moscow
Ukrainian soldiers fired from an anti-aircraft gun at Russian positions in the Kharkiv region. photo
© Andrii Marienko/AP/dpa
The Russian war of aggression in Ukraine has already lasted for half a year. According to British intelligence information, the conclusion for Moscow is negative. The Russian leadership, on the other hand, sees itself on schedule.
Half a year after the start of the Russian war against Ukraine, Great Britain gave the attackers a bad report. Russian troops are making little progress, Defense Secretary Ben Wallace told BBC Radio 4. “Russia’s progress can be measured in meters per week, not miles.”
Wallace said more than 80,000 Russian soldiers had been killed, wounded, or deserted since the February 24 attack. “That’s 80,000 in six months compared to 15,000 in a decade in Afghanistan.”
The Ministry of Defense, citing intelligence information, emphasized: “Operationally, Russia suffers from a lack of ammunition, vehicles and personnel.” Morale is poor in many areas and the army is severely restricted. Russia’s diplomatic power has declined and the long-term economic prospects are bleak. “The Donbass offensive is making minimal progress and Russia expects a heavy Ukrainian counterattack,” it said. London’s conclusion: “After six months, Russia’s war has proved costly and strategically damaging.”
Wallace said Ukrainian troops were positioning themselves to retake occupied territory. “From the beginning, Ukraine has had morale on its side (…) and if you look at the morale of the Ukrainian armed forces, it’s miles ahead of Russian morale.” The Russian units are also poorly trained.
The British Ministry of Defense has published unprecedented information on the course of the war since the start of the Russian war of aggression against Ukraine in late February, citing intelligence information. In doing so, the British government wants to both counter the Russian portrayal and keep allies in line. Moscow accuses London of a targeted disinformation campaign.
Moscow defends attack on Ukraine
For his part, Russian Defense Minister Sergey Shoigu defended the actions in Ukraine. According to the Interfax agency, Shoigu told defense ministers of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) on Wednesday that the country had rejected the peace plan for the areas in Donbass. “Kyiv, which refused to fulfill the Minsk agreements, posed a real threat to the people of Donbass and, in the future, to the Russian Federation,” he said.
The “military operation” is going according to plan. “All goals will be achieved,” said Shoigu. The pace of the attacks has slowed, which is a conscious decision to avoid casualties among civilians. “Blows are carried out with high-precision weapons on objects of military infrastructure of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.”
NATO Secretary General: Ukraine will prevail
NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg, on the other hand, is convinced that Russia will not win the war against Ukraine. “Ukraine must prevail, and Ukraine will prevail,” said the Norwegian in a message marking the country’s Independence Day. NATO will provide support for as long as it is necessary.
“A strong and independent Ukraine is of crucial importance for the stability of the Euro-Atlantic area,” said Stoltenberg. Russia’s war against Ukraine is “the biggest crisis for Europe’s security since the Second World War”.
On Independence Day, Stoltenberg wished Ukraine “strength and success”. The Ukrainian armed forces and the entire Ukrainian people showed tremendous courage and determination, he said. Led by President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, they provided an inspiration to the world.
British Ministry of Defense notice