Russia combat force declines in Ukraine as the war takes longer

Russia combat force declines in Ukraine as the war takes longer: U.S. official. 

WASHINGTON: A senior U.S. defense source stated that Russia’s fighting power in Ukraine has dropped below 90% of pre-invasion levels for the first time since the conflict began, implying substantial weaponry losses and rising casualties.

The United States has estimated Russia assembled more than 150,000 troops around Ukraine before the February 24 invasion, along with enough planes, artillery, tanks, and another firepower for its full-scale offensive.

“For the first time, they may be just a little below 90 percent,” the U.S. defense official told reporters on anonymity. The official did not give evidence.

A month into the war, Russian troops have failed to conquer a single significant city, and their advance has been blocked on nearly all fronts by Ukrainian forces. Moscow has instead turned to bombard cities with artillery, missiles, and explosives.

Much of that bombardment has been focused on the southeastern city of Mariupol. The senior U.S. official said Russian naval forces have likely been firing into Mariupol from the Sea of Azov over the past 24 hours.

“That wasn’t the case yesterday,” the official stated.

Russia has not officially updated its casualty counts since reporting on March 2 that 498 personnel had been killed and 1,597 wounded.

But since then, its onslaught has come into extra-strong resistance from Ukraine’s army and volunteer defense troops.

White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan estimated that the number of Russian casualties was in the thousands but declined to offer a precise figure.

As the crisis takes its toll, the United States has warned that Russia will seek assistance from China. 

Still, the White House said it had not seen any indication of China supplying military weapons to Russia on Tuesday.

According to the U.S. official, there are no signs that Russia is bringing more supplies into Ukraine.

“However, we continue to see signs that they are having these discussions and formulating those plans, both in terms of resupply and reinforcement,” the diplomat added.

Putin’s intervention into Ukraine has displaced over 3.5 million people, pushed Russia’s economy into unprecedented isolation as Western nations implemented sanctions, and sparked worries of a bigger conflict in the West not seen in decades.

Putin describes the conflict as a “special military operation” aimed at demilitarising Ukraine and replacing its pro-Western government and claims that everything is progressing according to plan.