For another significant push into Ukrainian territory, Moscow must secure significant ammunition supplies from other countries in addition to what it already has.
“What they have to do is send understrength, inexperienced units to areas to achieve unrealistic objectives,” the unnamed official described the ongoing Russian assaults in eastern Ukraine.
The official noted that Ukraine, in turn, will need some time to accumulate enough ammunition and personnel for any potential counteroffensives.
“We see them [the Ukrainians] improving day by day,” they added.
Crucially, the same source said that Russia will be able to sustain its military economy for another three to four years. This suggests that Russian dictator Vladimir Putin is not under immediate pressure to seek a ceasefire.
Earlier on July 9, unnamed U.S. officials told The New York Times that Russia is unlikely to achieve significant territorial gains in Ukraine in the coming months.
According to the newspaper, poorly trained Russian troops are currently trying to break through Ukrainian defenses bolstered by Western ammunition. The NYT recalls that during the spring-summer offensive, Russia suffered numerous losses without capturing much new territory. At the same time, officials believe it would be virtually impossible for Ukraine to reclaim all its territory.