Kiev has almost run out of its own war materiel and is heavily reliant on deliveries from abroad, the Russian president says
A Ukrainian Leopard 2 tank and several Bradley fighting vehicles destroyed by the Russian forces in Russia’s Zaporozhye Region. © Russia’s Defense Ministry
Ukraine has already lost more than 600 armored vehicles, including 186 tanks, during its counteroffensive effort against Russian troops, President Vladimir Putin has said. The Russian leader made the remarks at the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF) on Friday.
“Their losses are very heavy – about more than one in ten compared to the Russian army. That is a fact. In terms of hardware, every day there is an increase in the loss of this materiel. To date, 186 tanks have been lost by the Ukrainian army and 418 armored vehicles,” Putin claimed, referring to the ongoing operation by Ukrainian forces.
According to the Russian president, Kiev has been deploying its strategic reserves for the counteroffensive effort, but has thus failed to achieve any of its goals. The rapid depletion of Ukraine’s own war stocks means it will have to rely solely on foreign deliveries, Putin suggested.
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