Christopher Cavoli, head of the European Command of the United States, assured this Wednesday, April 26, that Russia has increased the presence of ground forces in Russia, despite having suffered thousands of losses during the invasion of Ukraine. This was reported by the CNN en Español news portal.
Cavoli gave this information to the US House Armed Services Committee, detailing some of the losses Russia has sustained during the war.
He indicated that the Russian Air Force has been the least affected, with a loss of 80 aircraft. “They have another 1,000 fighters and fighter-bombers,” he said.
He also specified that the Navy has lost a ship.
According to classified intelligence documents reviewed by CNN en Español, which were allegedly leaked by a National Guard airman, Russia has lost between 35,000 and 43,000 soldiers, who have died in combat.
These documents also indicated that 474 Russian battalions were in Ukraine, and that 527 of 544 Russian battalions were already engaged in the invasion of Ukraine.
On April 25, the British Intelligence Agency indicated in a report that Russian troops in Ukraine have gone on the defense in order to protect the Crimea region. According to this military report, the losses of the Russian troops had been reduced by 30% recently.
From this operation, it was learned that the Ukrainian military command began its preparations to launch a counteroffensive next May, according to The New York Times.
Volodimir Zelensky, President of Ukraine, further stated that he wants all the territories illegally occupied by Russia to be liberated. “There is still time to go. We will destroy them if they do not withdraw,” said the Ukrainian president.
One of the high points of the war at the moment is the fight around Bakhmut, an area in which Russia concentrates all its forces, according to a spokesman for the Ukrainian Armed Forces quoted by CNN en Español.
Mark Milley, chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff, told US lawmakers in March that Russian troops are being “massacred” in their fight for Bakhmut, according to CNN en Español.
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