Russia has already rebuilt its military after suffering losses during the invasion of Ukraine, according to U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Kurt Campbell.
“We have assessed over the course of the last couple of months that Russia has almost completely reconstituted militarily,” Campbell stated.
However, the American website Defense News highlighted that this assessment appears to contradict the opinions of the Pentagon and U.S. allies in Europe.
At a meeting with representatives of countries supporting Ukraine, U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin said last month that Russia had lost more than 315,000 troops in Ukraine.
Russian forces have redeployed on the Ukrainian front due to a drop in U.S. aid to Ukraine, which has led to munitions shortages, but these gains have been achieved at great cost, the Pentagon chief acknowledged.
However, the American website Defense News highlighted that this assessment appears to contradict the opinions of the Pentagon and U.S. allies in Europe.
At a meeting with representatives of countries supporting Ukraine, U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin said last month that Russia had lost more than 315,000 troops in Ukraine.
Russian forces have redeployed on the Ukrainian front due to a drop in U.S. aid to Ukraine, which has led to munitions shortages, but these gains have been achieved at great cost, the Pentagon chief acknowledged.
Meanwhile, the chairman of the Lithuanian Seimas’ security and defense committee, Laurynas Kascziunas, estimated earlier that it would take Russia five to seven years to rebuild its armed forces to the point where a full-scale war could be fought.
Russia has increased defense spending to 6% of GDP by 2024, and this is part of a broader effort by the Kremlin to shift the country’s economy, and especially its defense industry, to war conditions, DefenseNews writes.
Part of Russia’s success on the front lines is due to assistance from China, North Korea, and Iran. Both Campbell and other senior U.S. administration officials told reporters that the Chinese have helped their Russian partners weather economic and military difficulties over the past two years.
“We’ve really seen [China] start to help to rebuild Russia’s defense industrial base, essentially backfilling the trade from European partners,” one U.S. official said.
The Russians’ success on the front lines has increased pressure on the Ukrainian government, which this week lowered the conscription age from 27 to 25.
Without U.S. assistance, the Ukrainian armed forces will have to continue to ration ammunition and air defense at the front. However, this does not mean that the front lines are close to collapse, said Chairman of the U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff College, General Charles Q. Brown.
“Does it make it more complicated, more challenging for the Ukrainians without the supplemental - yes,” Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff CQ Brown said last week. “But they’ve been able to defend fairly well.”
Russia has increased defense spending to 6% of GDP by 2024, and this is part of a broader effort by the Kremlin to shift the country’s economy, and especially its defense industry, to war conditions, DefenseNews writes.
Part of Russia’s success on the front lines is due to assistance from China, North Korea, and Iran. Both Campbell and other senior U.S. administration officials told reporters that the Chinese have helped their Russian partners weather economic and military difficulties over the past two years.
“We’ve really seen [China] start to help to rebuild Russia’s defense industrial base, essentially backfilling the trade from European partners,” one U.S. official said.
The Russians’ success on the front lines has increased pressure on the Ukrainian government, which this week lowered the conscription age from 27 to 25.
Without U.S. assistance, the Ukrainian armed forces will have to continue to ration ammunition and air defense at the front. However, this does not mean that the front lines are close to collapse, said Chairman of the U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff College, General Charles Q. Brown.
“Does it make it more complicated, more challenging for the Ukrainians without the supplemental - yes,” Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff CQ Brown said last week. “But they’ve been able to defend fairly well.”
Source: Defense News, PAP
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