Russia’s Military Capability Declines in Ukraine as Deaths Rise, US Official Says

The power of Russian combat in Ukraine has dropped below 90% from pre-invasion levels for the first time since the attacks began, a senior US Defense official said. United Statessuggesting heavy weapon losses and increased casualties.

United States estimates that Russia gathered more than 150,000 soldiers around Ukraine before the February 24 invasion, along with enough planes, artillery, tanks, and other warfare for their full-scale attack.

“For the first time, they may be a little below 90%”the defense official told reporters on condition of anonymity. The official did not provide evidence.

Almost a month after the war, Russian troops have failed to capture a single major city and Ukrainian forces have halted their advance on almost all fronts. Instead, Moscow has resorted to bombarding cities with artillery, missiles and mortars. Russia denies targeting civilians.

Much of that bombardment has focused on the city of Mariupol, in the southeast. The senior US official said Russian naval forces have likely been firing at Mariupol from the Sea of ​​Azov for the past 24 hours.

“That was not the case yesterday”said the official.

Russia has not officially updated its casualty figures since it declared on March 2 that 498 military personnel had been killed and 1,597 wounded.

But since then, his offensive has met with strong resistance from the army and volunteer defense forces of Ukraine.

The adviser of National security of the White House, Jake Sullivanestimated on Tuesday that the number of Russian casualties was in the thousands of troops or civilians, but declined to give a precise figure.

As the conflict takes its toll, the United States has warned that Russia could seek help from China. Still, the White House said Tuesday that it had seen no evidence that China provide military equipment to Russia.

The US official suggested there was no indication that Russia was still sending additional supplies to Ukraine.

“But we continue to see indications that they are having these discussions and that they are making those kinds of plans both in terms of resupply and reinforcement,” the official said.

The raid of Putin in Ukraine forced more than 3.5 million people to flee, led to an unprecedented isolation of Russia’s economy as Western nations imposed sanctions, and raised fears of a wider conflict in the West that had not been imagined for decades.

Putin calls the conflict a “special military operation” to demilitarize Ukraine and replace its pro-Western leadership.