(NewsWorthy.news) – NATO’s supreme commander, General Christopher Cavoli, is warning Congress about the alarming rate at which Russia has replaced heavy losses on the battlefield in Ukraine.
Cavoli, who also leads the U.S. European Command, stressed the need to provide Ukraine with aid that has long been stalled, stating that Ukraine is in danger of losing the conflict without more U.S. assistance. Cavoli also noted that Russia’s forces have even greater manpower than when the Kremlin launched its invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. The troop strength on Russia’s frontline has increased from 360,000 to 470,000 soldiers, or 15% larger than it was at the time of the 2022 invasion.
Compared to Russia, Ukraine has been struggling to replenish its forces. After President Volodymyr Zelenskyy claimed in December 2023 that the country needed 500,000 additional soldiers, army chief Oleksandr Syrskyi said that rotation of troops from the rear allowed them to reduce this figure. However, in April Kyiv still passed a controversial law that requires men aged 18 to 60 to carry documents proving they have registered with the armed forces. The move came a week after Ukraine lowered its age of conscription from 27 to 25.
In October 2023 pacifist whistleblowers leaked plans to recruit hundreds of Serbs into Russia’s military. Moscow is reportedly sending troops from units stationed in the Far East to Ukraine to increase its numbers on the frontline. Cavoli’s warning comes as pressure mounts on lawmakers to approve $60 billion in aid to Ukraine that has been stalled for months due to resistance from Republicans. The full $95 billion package proposed by the Senate would also include aid to Israel and Taiwan.
Cavoli pointed out how “almost entirely” dependent Ukraine is on outside support in its war against Russia, especially on the U.S. for the supply of air defense interceptors and artillery shells. He said the fight would swing in Russia’s favor if Kyiv does not receive the assistance it needs soon. Cavoli made the dire warning that if Russia were to win it would most likely go on to threaten other countries in Eastern Europe. He has made the blunt observation that if one side cannot shoot back at the aggressor, it loses. In April 2024, UK defense secretary Grant Shapps suggested that it may be possible for the UK to supply a functional prototype of its DragonFire laser weapon that has the potential to dramatically alter the balance of the conflict.
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