kyiv will not call in additional troops in response to Russia’s partial mobilization, presidential adviser says
Ukraine will not announce additional mobilization in response to the referendums on joining Russia currently underway in the east of the country, Mikhail Podolyak, adviser to Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky, told the TV show on Monday. German Tagesschau.
« We have already created reserves through the territorial defense system and we will actively use these reserves. We must not announce today an additional mobilization« , he told the outlet. « We have everything, and we are ready for more Russian troops.”
Podolyak insisted that Ukraine was losing far fewer soldiers than Russia, echoing comments by Zelensky, who said last week that his army suffered at least 50 daily casualties, but Russian casualties dwarfed that figure. by a factor of five. Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu announced days earlier that while Russia had lost 6,000 troops since the offensive began in February, Ukraine had lost around 61,000. Ukraine, about 55,000 Russian soldiers were killed. According to the CIA, by the end of July Russia had lost more than 15,000 soldiers in Ukraine. British intelligence reported 20,000 deaths in June.
Read more
Zelensky publishes Ukrainian estimates of daily army casualties
Ukraine’s presidential adviser also claimed that Russia is using 90% of its firepower to destroy critical and civilian infrastructure and civilians who need it, blaming his army for wiping out 1,200 settlements in areas that kyiv has since bombarded. eight years. Amnesty International has previously criticized Ukraine for stationing its troops inside residential buildings, schools and hospitals, calling the use of civilians as human shields a violation of international humanitarian law.
While Ukraine might not need the extra manpower just yet, Podolyak said, a military victory would require tanks — not the low-budget Soviet variety either. Only « Western-style machines such as the Leopard 2will do, he told his German audience.
Ukraine and Germany have opposed Berlin’s refusal to provide Leopards, with German Defense Minister Christine Lambrecht saying earlier this month that her country had reached its military aid limit and could not donate. more weapons without endangering his own safety. Germany has already delivered Singer anti-aircraft missile systems, Gerard anti-aircraft tanks and Panzerhaubitze 2000 self-propelled howitzers to Ukraine, but kyiv – and even some German officials – are not happy with anything that is not the Leopards.
Referendums on joining Russia are underway in the Russian-controlled eastern regions of Kherson and Zaporozhye as well as the independent Donbas republics of Donetsk and Luhansk. Moscow announced a partial mobilization last week.
