Russia gains upper hand: Norwegian intelligence calls for Western aid to shift battlefield situation
Chief of the Norwegian Intelligence Service Nils Andreas Stensønes (Photo: twitter.com/Forsvaret_no)
Russia is gaining the upper hand militarily in Ukraine due to the increase in the number of troops and material support from countries such as North Korea and China. Kyiv will need significant military assistance from the West to turn the situation on the front lines, according to Chief of the Norwegian Intelligence Service Nils Andreas Stensønes.
"In this war, Russia is currently in a stronger position than a year ago and is poised to gain the upper hand," he said.
The head of intelligence emphasized that Moscow could mobilize "approximately three times more troops" than Ukraine.
"Russia is adapting to sanctions better than expected, and its industry is capable of producing a sufficient quantity of ammunition, combat vehicles, drones, and missiles," he stressed.
According to Stensnes, Russia receives military support from Iran, Belarus, and North Korea. According to his conclusions, China supplies not weapons but "machinery, transportation, electronics, and spare parts" that are useful for the Russian defense industry.
Frontline situation
According to the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, there were 100 combat clashes on the frontlines during the day.
According to the Institute for the Study of War, positional battles continue in the Avdiivka area, near Robotyne, and along the Kupiansk-Svatove-Kreminna line. Russian invaders are attempting to advance near Bakhmut, while the Ukrainian Defense Forces have succeeded on the left bank of the Kherson region.
