Rumors have been circulating for months about a new major offensive by Russia in the Ukraine war. Numerous experts and members of the Ukrainian government expected attacks against large parts of Ukraine, including Kiev and Kharkiv. A high-ranking NATO official has come to a different conclusion.
«This is the Russian spring offensive. That’s exactly what she looks like, that’s all there is to it,” he told the “Bild” newspaper.
Accordingly, Russia seems neither willing nor able to increase the current efforts and manpower in the Ukraine war. The reason for this is the lack of political will to send soldiers to Ukraine on a large scale. Moscow has also recognized the complete inferiority of Russian war material.
As it became known in February, the notorious Wagner private army is running out of ammunition in the battle for the eastern Ukrainian city of Bakhmut. In a video, mercenaries accused the Russian military leadership of cutting off deliveries to the front.
In addition, there is a fear of losing more aircraft. «Russia has already lost 130 planes in Ukraine. There would be crews for 1,500 more, but they will not be deployed,” the NATO official continued. He justifies this with the ever-stronger Ukrainian air force, which makes air warfare impossible.
The official also spoke of an extremely high number of Russian soldiers killed. In July 2022, this would have been 173 deaths per day. In February it had already risen to a good 200 deaths and more than 600 injuries per day.