'You're being sold a raw deal': NATO chief issues warning to young Russians
Photo: NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte (Getty Images)
During his speech, the NATO chief stressed that Russian soldiers are being sent to the front lines with a high risk of being killed or seriously wounded.
"You’re being sold a raw deal. Men like you who join the fight – you won’t be trained. The equipment they’ll provide you is substandard. There is a very high chance you’ll die or be wounded while you’re out there – and odds are that if you are wounded, you’ll be left to suffer in the mud and die," he emphasized, addressing the young Russians.
According to Rutte, the Russian army's tens of thousands of casualties are not abstract statistics but a real threat to those whom the Kremlin continues to send to war.
Russia is losing about 30,000 troops every month
The NATO Secretary General said Russia's actions on the battlefield increasingly resemble desperate attempts to achieve results at any cost.
According to him, the Russian military is suffering around 30,000 casualties per month. Rutte noted that this exceeds the total number of Soviet losses during the ten-year war in Afghanistan.
At the same time, he emphasized that Ukraine continues to resist Russian aggression and that it remains important for NATO countries to stand alongside Kyiv.
"That is why I am here today in Kyiv along with all 32 NATO Allies. This is a strong sign of NATO’s continued commitment to our partnership, of our persistent support for Ukraine, and the value of our cooperation," Rutte emphasized.
NATO points to growing problems in Russia's economy
At the same time, NATO sees rising pressure on the Russian economy, which is finding it harder to sustain its wartime spending.
According to Rutte, the international community should increase pressure on the Kremlin to force it back to the negotiating table and bring the war to an end.
"Tragically, they show no signs of stopping. The most recent attacks on Kyiv and across Ukraine make this clear. More civilian lives lost, so many wounded. So much damage done. We strongly condemn Russia’s aggression and continue to call for a negotiated peace," Rutte concluded.
Earlier, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that Russia is preparing an additional mobilization campaign to replenish losses of its army in the war against Ukraine.
According to him, the Kremlin has tasked officials with increasing the size of its forces by at least tens of thousands of personnel.
