Russia pays dearly for its advance into eastern Ukraine

It has been two months since the Kremlin began its full-scale assault on the eastern Donbas region of Ukraine, directing the force of its vast arsenal along a 300-mile front and inflicting heavy casualties on Ukrainian forces as its fighters deployed. they led the way at full speed.

Russia now controls 80% to 90% of the region, according to estimates.

But the campaign had a high price.

After weeks of bloody battles and persistent defense by unarmed Ukrainian soldiers, Russian forces are likely to find themselves severely exhausted both male and team.

An entire Russian regiment, which with all its personnel could include several thousand soldiers, was forced to withdraw from the Eastern Front “to restore combat capability” after suffering heavy casualties, the Ukrainian army said Saturday.

The Ukrainians also claimed to have destroyed “30 units of various enemy equipment and weapons” in the 24 hours that began Friday morning.

Russia “continues to suffer significant losses “the Ukrainians said on Saturday night.

The claims could not be independently verified, but if confirmed, they would be signs that the battle for control of Donbas is putting a strain on Russian forces already abused in the first months of the war when they tried unsuccessfully to take over Kiev, the capital and other northern cities.

“The Russians probably lost among the 20 and 30% of their armored strength “General Mark A. Milley, chairman of the United States Joint Chiefs of Staff, said last week.

“It’s huge. So the Ukrainians are fighting very seriously. tactically effective with fire and maneuver “.

Milley said “the numbers clearly favor the Russians” when it comes to weapons, making crucial the additional $ 1 billion the White House has pledged Ukraine for more artillery, missile systems, coastal defense weapons and ammunition.

While Ukraine eagerly awaits the arrival of weapons, Russian forces are killing up to 200 Ukrainian soldiers every day, Ukrainian officials say.

The Ukrainians are desperately trying to maintain their position in the ruined city of Sievierdonetsk, while also defending themselves against a wider encirclement of their forces in the area by the advancing Russians from the north, south and east.

Unable to dislodge Ukrainians from Sievierdonetsk after weeks of heavy bombing and urban fighting, Russia was trying to improve its “tactical situation carrying out assault operations outside the city, the Ukrainian army said Saturday.

“Now the fiercest battles are near Sievierodonetsk,” said Serhiy Haidai, regional governor of Luhansk province, which is part of Donbas.

Michael Kofman, director of Russian studies at CNA, a research group in Virginia, said in a recent analysis that if the Russians broke through in Sievierdonetsk, their labor struggles could still affect their ability to sustain any earnings. .

“The Russian military has spent months trying to recruit additional military personnel, deploying reservists and now organizing additional battalions based on the existing force structure,” Kofman wrote, adding:

“These are fragmented efforts which allow the Russian army to remain in the war. but do not address the fundamental labor deficit ”.

The British military intelligence agency reported on Sunday that fierce and slow fighting in the east is likely to be affecting morale of both armies.

“Ukrainian forces are likely to have suffered defections in recent weeks,” the agency said in its latest public assessment.

But he described the problems in the Russian ranks as more systemic and serious including “instances of entire Russian units refusing orders and armed clashes between officers and their troops.”

“The moral problems in the Russian military are likely to be so significant that they limit Russia’s ability to achieve operational goals,” he said.

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