Ukraine can shift war's momentum: NATO reveals two factors
Ukraine needs 250,000 more troops (illustrative photo: Getty Images)
Ukraine needs a significant boost in infantry and weaponry to shift the battlefield situation; Kyiv must mobilize at least 250,000 additional troops and acquire more powerful weapons systems, The Sunday Times reports.
Read also: Russia's losses surpass those of every war since World War II
These conclusions are based on sources in NATO military intelligence and independent analysts. Overall, NATO estimates that Moscow can sustain its current intensity of combat for at least another year.
At the same time, Ukraine is reportedly lagging behind Russia in troop numbers and weaponry across most frontlines, including the areas around Lyman and Siversk.
Analysts also warn that if Russian forces continue advancing near Huliaipole, the large regional center of Zaporizhzhia could fall within range of FPV drones. This would create a threat similar to the one that has long endangered Kherson, where Russian strikes have already killed thousands of civilians.
A Ukrainian officer in Pokrovsk told the publication that Russian forces hold a significant advantage in aviation and tactical ballistic missiles, allowing them to effectively strike logistics and command hubs using precision-guided bombs.
Nick Reynolds, a Research Fellow for Land Warfare at the Royal United Services Institute, says Russian troops are gradually advancing, partly because of the strategic importance of the so-called "fortress belt" of cities in the Donbas, where terrain favors whoever controls it.
According to British defense sources, the optimistic scenario for Moscow assumes roughly 18 more months of war and hundreds of thousands of additional casualties to capture the rest of the Donbas. In a worst-case scenario, the conflict could last up to 4 years, resulting in millions of deaths.
Experts note that Russia is prepared to continue compensating for losses through substantial manpower reserves. The Kremlin shows no willingness to compromise in negotiations.
Meanwhile, Ukrainian Armed Forces Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi believes the war in Ukraine is not at a deadlock, citing Russian losses and ongoing Ukrainian offensive operations.
In addition, Russian casualties are enormous. Last week, UK Defense Secretary John Healey stated that in some areas of the front, Russian losses are 25 times higher than Ukrainian losses. The increased use of drones is also shifting the balance in favor of the Ukrainian Armed Forces.
