Pentagon warns Russia has 'significant combat power’ in Kyiv despite battlefield setbacks

Chairman of US Joint Chiefs of Staff, US Army Gen Mark Milley has stated that Ukraine’s chances of an outright military victory over Russia are not high and may not be achievable in any near term. Gen Milley has cautioned that Russia still has a significant combat power inside Ukraine despite suffering setbacks on the battlefield as Ukraine engages in a counteroffensive against the Russian forces, reported The Guardian. The remarks by the top US General came at a press conference at the Pentagon on Wednesday.  

Describing the current situation in the Russia-Ukraine conflict, Gen Mark Milley said that the probability of Ukraine winning the war “defined as kicking the Russians out of all of Ukraine to include what they claim as Crimea” is not high militarily. He further stated that this objective may not be achieved anytime soon.  

Ukraine’s counteroffensive changing the face of the war  

Adding to his statement, Gen Milley credited Ukraine's highly effective counteroffensive against the Russian forces stating, “The Ukrainians have achieved success after success after success. And the Russians have failed every single time. They’ve lost strategically, they’ve lost operationally, and I repeat, they lost tactically.”  

He further took the opportunity to berate Russia’s ‘failed’ war efforts and stated that the strategic reframing of Russia’s objectives “of the illegal invasion, have all failed – every single one of them.”  

Meanwhile, US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin warned Ukraine stating that it would a mistake to allow Moscow to rearm and refit its troops amid the war.  

“They have to continue to keep the pressure on the Russians going forward and I think (a) winter fight favours the Ukrainians,” US Defense Secretary Llyod Austin said during the briefing.  

Russia’s battle losses evident in Ukraine  

Speaking of a possible solution to the raging war between Russia and Ukraine, Gen Mark Milley stated that there may be a “political solution” under the conditions that Russia withdraws its troops from Ukraine. "That’s possible,” he added, maintaining that Russia “right now is on its back”.  

Meanwhile, as per the latest intelligence update by the UK’s Ministry of Defense, Russia’s November 15 barrage of up to 80 rockets and missiles targeting Ukraine was the largest one conducted since the first week of the invasion.  

The Russian barrage of missiles targeted mainly Ukrainian power infrastructures and grids. As per the intelligence update, “Ukraine is facing a significant decrease in the power available from its national grid. This will impact upon civilian access to communications, heating and water supplies.”  

Moreover, the British MoD suggests that degrading Ukraine’s national infrastructure has become a key element of Russia’s strategic approach to the military campaign and includes continued strikes at the adversary, including the use of conventional cruise missiles.