The Ukrainian army said that the country's military did not have sufficient resources to repel a potential full-scale attack by Russia if the conflict begins without support from Western forces, including the United States.
Recently, on the 30th anniversary of the founding of Ukraine's armed forces, the country's president, Volodymyr Zelensky, visited and toured the trenches this week. The official announced the delivery of various military equipment, including tanks, armored vehicles, and ships. They will be used to support frontline units engaged in fighting off Russian forces and Kremlin-backed separatists.
Ukrainian Defense Against Russia
While the new weapons systems may be able to ward the opposition in the slow-moving war of attrition that has lasted for years, the head of Ukraine's military intelligence service, Gen. Kyrylo O. Budanov said that what the country's army has is not sufficient to fight against a full-on Russian assault that Moscow could be planning.
There are now an estimated 100,000 troops amassed across Ukraine's eastern, northern, and southern borders. Officials also revealed that there were more troops on the way but argued that without a significant influx of resources the country's military does not stand a chance against Russian troops, the New York Times reported.
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Budanov argued that Ukrainian forces could become quickly overwhelmed if the Russian military deploys airstrikes and rockets targeting vulnerable, strategic positions. The attacks could stifle key elements of the country's army.
Full-Scale Attack
An expert said that it was highly unlikely for the Ukrainian forces to repel a full-scale attack by Russia despite the country's assembly of troops. More and more Russian troops and military equipment are gathering in locations near the Ukrainian border. This has caused the U.S., along with some of its allies and partners, have continued to raise concerns about the potential of Moscow's invasion of Ukraine.
Late last week, United States President Joe Biden's administration's officials revealed that U.S. intelligence indicated Russia could conduct an invasion of Ukraine early next year. The number of troops that Moscow could deploy is estimated to be as large as 175,000 based on multiple reports, Business Insider reported.
Despite the desperate need of Ukraine, President Biden on Wednesday told reporters that the United States was not considering sending troops to the country amid rising tensions with Moscow. The Democratic leader said that the idea was not on the table. While the U.S. had a moral obligation to NATO allies, the obligation did not extend to Ukraine, he added.
In a statement, CIA Director William Burns said that he believed Russian President Vladimir Putin was positioning his troops in a strategic way to allow them to act quickly and decisively once given the order. The situation comes after Biden had a call with Putin on Tuesday, attempting to deescalate the situation between Russia and Ukraine. The Democrat warned that if Moscow invaded Ukraine, the White House would enforce strict economic penalties against Russia. "I made it very clear, if in fact, he invades Ukraine, there will be severe consequences," said Biden, The Hill reported.
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