Russia Lost 90% Of Preinvasion Forces In Ukraine Conflict: US Intel

A U.S. intelligence assessment suggests that the ongoing conflict in Ukraine has heavily impacted the Russian military, leading to a loss of approximately 90% of its preinvasion forces.

What Happened: The U.S. intelligence report, which was relayed to Congress, indicates that the Ukrainian war has resulted in the death or injury of nearly 87% of Moscow’s prewar forces totaling around 315,000 personnel out of 360,000, The Wall Street Journal reported on Tuesday. Russia has also lost almost two-thirds of its tank force, which is approximately 2,200 out of its 3,500 preinvasion tanks.

This report, providing a new understanding of Russia’s military losses, was disclosed during the visit of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to Washington. Zelenskyy visited the U.S. seeking continued military aid. The exact number of Ukrainian casualties has not been reported by the U.S. or the government in Kyiv, but it is known that Ukraine, despite having a significantly smaller population than Russia, has also sustained a high number of troops lost to death and injury.

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The report acknowledges that Russia has implemented “extraordinary measures” to recover from the losses, including deploying released prisoners to join the fight. Nonetheless, the ongoing conflict in Ukraine has significantly hampered Russia’s 15-year attempt to modernize its ground forces, the U.S. intelligence assessment reveals.

Why It Matters: The conflict’s toll on Ukraine and Russia comes amid uncertainty about ongoing U.S. aid to Ukraine. Despite U.S. President Joe Biden’s support, there was no firm commitment made for further aid to Ukraine during a recent press conference with Zelenskyy. This uncertainty coincides with a disagreement within Congress over approving an additional $100 billion in aid for Ukraine and Israel.

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