After the start of the large-scale russian invasion in February, the Pentagon, the CIA and the intelligence of other Western countries believed that the russian army would capture Kyiv in 72 hours. But they were wrong. Just like the aggressor who marched in columns to Ukraine with the hope of holding a parade in Kyiv. With incredible efforts, Ukraine withstood the first blow of the enemy and repelled it from the Kyiv, Chernihiv and Sumy regions. Then the Armed Forces of Ukraine endured a grueling battle for Donbas.
Since the beginning of the summer, politicians and the military in the USA and NATO have been thinking about whether Ukraine can turn the tide of the war. But the effect of the counteroffensives of the Ukrainian army in the Kharkiv region and on the right bank of the Dnieper in the Kherson region overshadowed all expectations. By now, the world has realized that Ukraine is capable not only of fighting back, but also of defeating russia on the battlefield. Since the large-scale invasion, the defense forces of Ukraine have already liberated 50 percent of the territory that was captured by the enemy. And this work continues.
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The strength and unity of Ukrainian society and the army is now being broken and depleted by the power of the so-called second army of the world – with colossal losses in manpower and equipment.
The enemy army has already lost more than 105,000 killed and at least three times more wounded. In fact, the entire army of the invasion of russia, which on February 24 numbered up to 180 thousand, suffered losses. Russia's most modern arsenals were also destroyed. Therefore, now the enemy is mobilizing and looking for weapons and ammunition in Iran and North Korea.
The armed forces of russia have lost the strategic initiative on the fronts and are trying to hold the existing lines of defense. Mobilization and compensation of losses at the expense of untrained and poorly equipped soldiers will not change anything for the enemy. Tens of thousands more russian soldiers will die. Unable to win on the battlefield, the enemy resorted to a strategy of missile terror, strikes on energy and critical infrastructure. But it's useless because now Ukrainians are reminding the whole world that the most important thing is the will to resist, the will to Victory. The deep guarantee of success in any war is the desire of the people and their army to fight hard.
Since the beginning of the invasion of the russian federation, defenders of Ukraine have not only held off the onslaught of russian barbarians, liberated the occupied territories, but have done what was considered impossible until a certain time.
Let us recall the destruction of the flagship of the Black Sea Fleet, the cruiser "Moskva" by Ukrainian missiles, the blowing up of the Kerch bridge, the strikes on military facilities in Crimea and the russian "Engels" strategic aviation airfield. And then, of course, there will be a continuation.
The Armed Forces of Ukraine and the security and defense sector as a whole have grown significantly. Before the large-scale invasion, the Armed Forces of Ukraine had about 200,000 soldiers. Today, Ukraine has up to 700,000 soldiers in the Armed Forces of Ukraine alone, and together with the National Guard of Ukraine, the National Police, border guards and the Security Service of Ukraine - a total of up to 1 million people are defending the country. This is a significant number of military personnel, which requires significant costs for training, provision and creation of reserves. Because the intensity of the war is simply insane at the moment.
There is also a constant need for new weapons and replenishment of arsenals. And here there have been qualitative changes too. If before the start of the war and in the first months, the USA and Western countries mainly gave us weapons for a kind of guerrilla war – Stinger MANPADS, Javelin ATGM and other anti-tank weapons, now everything is different.
The Ukrainian army demonstrated extraordinary speed in mastering and effective use of modern and powerful Western weapons. High-tech Caesar, PZH 2000, M777 howitzers, long-range HIMARSs in the hands of Ukrainian soldiers have become reliable weapons for punishing the aggressor.
But Ukraine need more aid - tanks, infantry fighting vehicles, artillery systems, long-range ATACAMS missiles, and of course, powerful anti-missile defense systems and Western fighter jets. Western partners of Ukraine should more quickly make decisions on increasing the quantity and quality of security assistance for the country, which protects them from the possibility of a Russian invasion. Only this will hasten the end of the war. Russia aims to destroy the entire Ukrainian people. Moscow denies the existence of the Ukrainian nation and the legitimacy of the Ukrainian state. Wherever Russia still controls Ukrainian territory, it carries out a policy of genocide: mass deportations, rapes, executions.
The stakes in this war are high. And they lead us to a simple conclusion: Russia and Putin will fight until the aggressor's army is completely destroyed. This is what Ukraine should do with the support of Western countries. That is why future of Ukraine is not decided by negotiations, but on the battlefield. That's why every Ukrainian - both in the trenches, in the tank, at the enterprise, and at any so-called "civilian" workplace - should make efforts to bring this time closer.
The Defense Express team does and will continue to do its work on the information front. This is what we know and what gives results.
Happy New Year 2023 to all our readers! We wish everyone health, success, Victory and the speedy arrival of Peace!
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