East may not be seized this year.....
Losses leave Russia short of its goals
The staggeringly high rate of Russian casualties in Ukraine, with 500 Russian troops wounded or killed daily, may prevent the Kremlin from seizing Ukraine’s entire eastern region this year, U.S. officials and military experts say. Progress in Donetsk has stalled, and Russia has been forced to redeploy its forces to the south.
Russia’s glacial pace in the east has been further slowed by the arrival of American multiple-launch rocket systems, which have allowed Ukraine to take back some territory and made it harder for Russian soldiers to reach other areas.
Western officials said that the Russian military has struggled to bring reservists and new recruits into the fight as it suffers steep casualties. Russia has already committed nearly 85 percent of its fielded army to the war, drawing on troops from the country’s far east and deployments around the world, defense officials say.
Casualties: The Russian government classifies troop deaths as state secrets, but American officials say that estimate of Russia’s losses include about 20,000 deaths. The conflict is believed to have become the bloodiest land war in Europe since World War II.
New York Times
.....
Next year is another matter.
The staggeringly high rate of Russian casualties in Ukraine, with 500 Russian troops wounded or killed daily, may prevent the Kremlin from seizing Ukraine’s entire eastern region this year, U.S. officials and military experts say. Progress in Donetsk has stalled, and Russia has been forced to redeploy its forces to the south.
Russia’s glacial pace in the east has been further slowed by the arrival of American multiple-launch rocket systems, which have allowed Ukraine to take back some territory and made it harder for Russian soldiers to reach other areas.
Western officials said that the Russian military has struggled to bring reservists and new recruits into the fight as it suffers steep casualties. Russia has already committed nearly 85 percent of its fielded army to the war, drawing on troops from the country’s far east and deployments around the world, defense officials say.
Casualties: The Russian government classifies troop deaths as state secrets, but American officials say that estimate of Russia’s losses include about 20,000 deaths. The conflict is believed to have become the bloodiest land war in Europe since World War II.
New York Times
.....
Next year is another matter.
61-69, M
