Russia’s military presence in Ukraine is bigger today than at the start of the invasion despite losing thousands of personnel, a senior US military commander has claimed.
Gen. Christopher Cavoli, the commander of US European Command, told the House Armed Services Committee on Wednesday that Moscow has plenty more firepower left in its arsenal.
“The Russian ground force has been degenerated somewhat by this conflict, although it is bigger today than it was at the beginning of the conflict,” he said.
Cavoli’s comments suggest that invading forces should not be underestimated amid reports of heavy losses and resupply woes due to Western sanctions.
The senior US commander further noted that the Russian Air Force has lost only 80 planes and has another 1,000 fighters and bomber aircraft ready for Ukraine.
‘Only a Fraction’
Earlier this month, a UK intelligence report claimed that the Russian military had lost over 10,000 armored vehicles since it invaded Ukraine.
More than 100,000 Russian troops had also been killed this year due to heavy fighting around Bakhmut, where Moscow is concentrating “all its forces.”
“They’re getting hammered in the vicinity of Bakhmut and the Ukrainians have fought very, very well,” Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Mark Milley also told lawmakers.
However, losses recorded so far appear to be only a fraction of Russia’s total military force.
Intelligence said that 527 of 544 available Russian battalions have been committed to the war against Kyiv, and 474 are already in the war-torn nation.