Military expert is sure
Putin is playing for time – and will fail as a result
Vladimir Putin is trying to play for time in Ukraine. The Kremlin chief hopes that support from the West will eventually wane. Military expert Mick Ryan believes that won’t happen.
Published: 43 minutes ago
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Updated: 8 minutes ago
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Australian military expert Mick Ryan has ventured an outlook on Russia’s military strategy for 2023.
Since the start of the Russian war of aggression in Ukraine, Moscow has repeatedly had to change its military strategy. The past few months have been characterized by a Ukrainian counter-offensive in late summer and grueling trench warfare in winter. There are now many indications that the situation in Ukraine is gaining momentum again.
Australian military expert Mick Ryan dissects Russia’s strategy for the first few weeks of the new year in an analysis of the situation in the Russian-invaded country. The ex-general has recognized that Kremlin boss Vladimir Putin (70) now wants to prolong the war at any price.
Europe and America “want Russia to be defeated”
Ukraine is dependent on Western support in the form of arms, ammunition and economic aid. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov (55) stressed on Friday that Ukraine could hardly withstand the Russian attack without help from the West.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky (45) has been able to look forward to Western main battle tanks since this week. Selenski also called for fighter jets almost in the same breath. The war-torn country is already preparing for the aircraft, the airfield infrastructure is being adjusted, the spokesman for the Ukrainian Air Force, Colonel Yuri Ignat, announced on Friday.
“Putin seems comfortable with his strategy of simply waiting. But it could be a long wait,” analyzes Ryan. His thesis: The Russian president seems convinced that the West will eventually tire of war and support for Ukraine will then end – but according to Ryan there is little evidence of this.
The West continues to increase its support, which is particularly evident in the delivery of main battle tanks. Europe and America “want Russia to be defeated,” the ex-military continues.
Baerbock in the Council of Europe: “We are at war with Russia”(00:30)
That’s what Mick Ryan thinks about Gerasimov
Russia’s president wants to strengthen the army for the protracted war, after the Wagner group’s mercenaries came into the public eye in recent months. Ryan predicts that Putin will step up mobilization efforts again to fill the thinned-out ranks in the Russian military.
The Kremlin boss is now leaning on his loyal friend Valery Gerasimov (67), whom Putin recently appointed as the new commander, Ryan explains in the analysis. The change in leadership should change little or nothing about the current situation, according to the ex-military man. (nad)