Ukraine's military-intelligence chief says Russia doesn't "have the strength" and will struggle to achieve its goal of seizing all the eastern Donetsk and Luhansk regions this year, The Wall Street Journal reported.
Lt. Gen. Kyrylo Budanov, while admitting Ukraine's forces are outnumbered and outgunned, told the Journal that Russia also has problems, he said.
"They don't have the strength," Budanov said of President Vladimir Putin's aim to reclaim Donbas territory once controlled by the Soviet Union.
Moscow officials announced Saturday said they had taken control of Avdiivka in eastern Ukraine — a morale boost for Russia, days ahead of the two-year anniversary of its full-scale invasion of its neighbor Feb. 24, 2022.
Budanov, however, noted it took the Russian army nearly two years of heavy assaults, after almost 20 years of paramilitary attacks, to take the city.
"Is that a success for the great, powerful Russian army?" Budanov asked.
Despite the achievement, Budanov said Russia faces many obstacles, such as its reliance on untrained troops, using artillery shells faster than they can be replenished, and employing many old and refurbished tanks.
The Journal reported Wednesday that Western officials and analysts see Budanov's take on the situation as "the optimal scenario for Ukraine this year."
A defensive approach in which Russian forces get worn down while Ukraine rebuilds its forces could offer the opportunity for President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's forces to launch another counteroffensive in 2025.
The London-based think tank the Royal United Services Institute recently suggested Putin's army would struggle next year due to a lack of ammunition and armored vehicles.
Ukraine's goal of eventual victory also will depend on how much help it gets from allies.
A $118 million bipartisan Senate bill that would have sent assistance to Ukraine was "dead on arrival in the House," according to Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., due to its failure to adequately address needs at the U.S.-Mexico border amid the current migrant crisis.
"Will they [the U.S.] be prepared to provide us with supplies for the full year while we are preparing or not?" Budanov said to the Journal. "It's an interesting question."
Moscow also is reliant on allies to help its cause as sanctions have resulted in delays and increasing costs for Russian industry, affecting both the quality of new weapon systems and the ability to repair damaged ones, according to Western officials.
The Associated Press contributed to this story.
Charlie McCarthy ✉
Charlie McCarthy, a writer/editor at Newsmax, has nearly 40 years of experience covering news, sports, and politics.
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