“Right now, the Russians are suffering far more losses in terms of men and equipment than the Ukrainians.” That’s what Peter Wijninga of the Center for Strategic Studies in The Hague says. According to Wijninga, the West often looks at military gains in terms of square miles captured or recaptured, but military analysts focus on what’s actually happening at the front, such as casualties on both sides and the state of armies.
And on this basis, Wijninga can only conclude that the Russians are currently suffering more losses than the Ukrainians. That is, in terms of people and equipment. According to Wijninga, this is also Ukraine’s approach: ‘sell as many people and resources as possible to the Russians so that weak points emerge and they have the opportunity to deploy their brigades, which they now hold in reserve. I think that’s the tactic.’
A slow and careful tactic, according to Wijninga. ‘They also indicate that things are going slower than they thought. But it’s progressing steadily and basically everything on foot,’ he points out. “It takes time, and then you’re already satisfied if you walk a kilometer a day.”
“That’s also why it’s going so slow”
There is growing criticism that Ukraine is not waging the war as the West would. “But that’s not possible,” says Wijninga. “We would opt for a massive deployment of air forces to prepare for battle on the ground. However, Ukraine lacks air power. At the same time, the Russians are reluctant to deploy their air weapons due to the presence of Ukraine’s numerous anti-aircraft systems on the ground.
F-16
Although the West has promised to strengthen Ukraine’s air force, Wijninga stresses that this will take time. ‘What takes a long time is setting up a logistics organization to support F-16 operations. This also has to do with the logistics infrastructure. Also, training technicians takes more time than training pilots. You can decide to do it, but then you get into a process and it takes months or a year before the moment is finally here.’
Follow developments in Ukraine and Russia here on our live blog
Source: BNR
Sharon Rock is an author and journalist who writes for 24 News Globe. She has a passion for learning about different cultures and understanding the complexities of the world. With a talent for explaining complex global issues in an accessible and engaging way, Sharon has become a respected voice in the field of world news journalism.
