NATO's Supreme Commander In Europe Says The Number Of Russian Troops Is Not Enough To Break Through Kharkiv
JAKARTA - The Supreme Commander of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) troops in Europe said on Thursday he was not sure Russia had deployed enough troops to make strategic breakthroughs around Kharkiv, Ukraine.
General Christopher Cavoli said he believed Ukrainian troops would maintain their line in the region.
"Russia does not have the number needed to make strategic breakthroughs," General Cavoli told a news conference at NATO headquarters in Brussels following a meeting of military leaders from across the alliance.
"More importantly, they do not have the skills and ability to do so, to operate on the scale needed to exploit any breakthrough for strategic gain," he added.
Russia last week opened new fronts in war in Ukraine, as small groups of very mobile units moved quickly across the border into Kharkiv territory, forcing Ukraine to immediately send troops from other regions.
"They have the ability to make local progress and they have done some of that. They have also suffered some local losses."
However, he did not give any figures on the number of troops deployed by Russia in the region.
Meanwhile, NATO Military Committee Chairman Admiral Rob Bauer told a news conference he expects "serious improvements" in the near future in the amount of ammunition Ukrainian forces will receive.
Russian troops sometimes beat Ukrainian troops by a ratio of 10 to one, according to officials.
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The lack of ammunition in Ukraine was partly due to months of delays in obtaining large military aid packages for Ukraine through the US Congress.
General Cavoli said Ukrainian allies are now sending "large numbers" of ammunition and short-range air defense systems, as well as "large numbers" of armored vehicles that will help fight Kharkiv's progress.
"I have very close contact with our colleagues in Ukraine. And I am sure they will defend the line," believe the high-ranking officers who have been sent to Bosnoa and Afghanistan.