UK army chief, Admiral Sir Tony Radakin, has described how Russian President Vladimir Putin and his troops are struggling to contend with the powerful Ukrainian forces.
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Strategic failures
Interviewedby the BBCon Monday 19 September, Radakin said‘Vladimir Putin is failing in all of his military objectives, he wanted to subjugate Ukraine, but that won’t happen.’
The Independentalso cited the head of the Armed Forces who further added that 'at the very outset, we said that this [Russia's invasion of Ukraine] was a strategic error by President Putin, and strategic errors lead to strategic consequences. And in this instance, it’s strategic failure.'
Vladimir Putin 'failing on all of his military objectives', says UK army chief https://t.co/DvaDKz5IFC
— The Independent (@Independent) September 19, 2022
Radakin said:
He wanted to take control of the capital; we saw that was defeated earlier on. We saw that he wanted to weaken NATO. NATO is now much stronger, and we have Finland and Sweden joining.
Similarly, he added that while Putin wanted to 'break' the international resolve, it has only strengthened during this period. This means the head of the Kremlin is now under pressure, and he's facing more and more problems.
The strengthened resolve of the Ukrainians
According to the UK's Chief of Defence Staff, the Ukrainian forces are strengthening as they're fighting for their integrity and in order to get back more of their land.
Radakin said:
We’re also seeing a magnificent Ukrainian armed forces who have been courageous, they’re fighting for their country, and they’ve embraced the international support that all of us are providing.
However, he also hinted that the war could continue for the long haul and that people need to remain cautious. Despite the recent successful counteroffensives in the northeast, Radakin warned people to refrain from wishfulness and not to jump to any conclusions.
According to the army chief, while support for Putin may be wavering back home, and he might appear to be weak in this moment, this does not automatically mean victories will be easy elsewhere.
Sources used:
- BBC: ‘Putin failing on all his strategic military objectives, says defence chief’
- Independent: ‘Vladimir Putin ‘failing on all of his military objectives’, says UK army chief’
Read more:
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⋙ Vladimir Putin: Will the Russian President call it quits in Ukraine?
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