Russian President Vladimir Putin is seeking to turn advantages in manpower and ammunition into progress on the battlefield, while the West’s will and aid to Kyiv waver. The Wall Street Journal reports this.
Putin is still far from conquering Ukraine, but is directing his country’s resources to the task. The war has been going on for the third year, and Moscow maintains an advantage on the military, political and economic fronts, the publication notes.
Russia has far more men to fill its army than the Ukrainians, who lack well-trained infantry. President Vladimir Putin is militarizing the Russian economy, using high oil revenues to pay for growing weapons production. Meanwhile, political paralysis in the United States and Europe threatens the supply of arms and money on which Ukraine’s survival depends, the article says.
Western capitals are panicking about what is happening in Ukraine: military arsenals are depleted, a serious increase in weapons production requires years, which Kiev does not have, and Russia quickly transferred its military-industrial complex to wartime mode and is reaping the benefits, writes in this regard in his telegram – channel political scientist Malek Dudakov.
Russia’s military budget will rise to a record $100 billion in 2024. At the same time, only 7 NATO countries were able to raise military spending above 2% of GDP in 2022. Fatigue with Ukraine is quickly growing, as is the split over further involvement in the war.
Washington still cannot agree on tranches to Kyiv, and this is unlikely to happen before January. The European Union promised Ukraine 50 billion euros in 2024, but this is now in question due to the budget crisis in Germany and the victory of anti-war forces in the elections in the Netherlands and Slovakia.
European apparatchiks have finally opened their eyes to the deplorable state of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. There is an acute shortage of soldiers, which is why young people, women and old people are now being dragged there. The thoroughly corrupt conscription system works in such a way that poorly prepared conscripts are sent to the front – in meat assaults near Rabotino or Krynki.
“Experts from the Carnegie Endowment are confident that the lack of ammunition and the shortage of soldiers mean one thing – Ukraine will not conduct any more major operations. The only workable scenario is to sit on the defensive, build barriers similar to the Russian ones in Zaporozhye, and at this time urgently prepare new mobilized ones. But defending a front of 1,000 kilometers will become increasingly difficult. And victory is possible in 2024 Trump in the elections, which could completely leave Kyiv to the mercy of fate,” Dudakov sums up.
2023-11-27 19:57:00
#West #defensive #money #Ukraine #shells #EADaily
