Russia has 97 percent of its troops in Ukraine but is struggling to advance: UK
Russia has sent 97% of its troops to eastern Ukraine as part of its efforts to intensify its offensive, but it is still short of the manpower required to “punch through” Kyiv’s defenses. A top British military officer said Wednesday.
The BBC was told by Ben Wallace, the UK Defense Secretary, that Russia has yet to make progress in Ukraine’s eastern region despite its advances.
“We haven’t seen this massing force to advance in a large offensive. He said that we have only seen an attempt to advance, which has been at a great cost to the Russian army.”
“We now believe that 97% of Russia’s army, the entire Russian army is now in Ukraine.”
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Ukraine is looking to increase its forces to counter a Russian counteroffensive that Western officials anticipate Moscow will launch sometime in the spring.
Wallace stated that 97% of Russia’s army are now committed to Ukraine with an [attrition]rate very high and possibly their effectiveness depleted of 40% and almost two-thirds their tanks destroyed, or broken, that has a direct effect on Europe’s security.
He said, “I think Russia is trying to advance in a kind of human way. It’s almost First World War levels [attrition] and has success rates of a matter if meters rather than kilometers.”
Wallace says that the “biggest unknown,” is what will happen if Russian leaders have “a gap in real life” or “no regard to human life of [Russia’s]”.
Russia is trying to seize Bakhmut, an important eastern city. As its forces attempt to encircle Bakhmut, Russia has engaged in aggressive fighting. However, the city was held by Ukrainian forces.
Volodymyr Zelensky, the Ukrainian President, stated that Russia’s ability is being hampered by difficult battles near Bakhmut.
He noted the situation in eastern Donetsk/Luhansk regions and said that “that is where the unprecedented destruction is occurring now of Russian potential.”
