UK Defense Minister Wallace outlines Russian losses
Occupants lost over 100 thousand Russian servicemen (Photo:REUTERS/Maksim Levin)
In the first 300 days of the war against Ukraine, aggregate combat effectiveness of the Russian invasion force has fallen by more than 50%, UK Defense Minister Ben Wallace said in a message on the ministry’s website on Dec. 22.
According to Wallace, invading Russian forces in Ukraine have lost more than 100,000 soldiers killed, wounded, or deserted – on top of more than 4,500 armored vehicles, 140 helicopters, and hundreds of artillery systems.
“The Russian Battalion Tactical Group concept, for a decade the pride of their military doctrine, has not stood up to Ukrainian resistance,” the minister said.
“Russia’s deployed land forces’ combat effectiveness has dropped by more than 50%.”
He added that the Russian air force is flying dozens of daily sorties – compared to about 300 back in March. Wallace also notes that hundreds of Russian mercenaries died in a recent Ukrainian strike on the headquarters of Russia’s Wagner private military company in Luhansk Oblast.
“And Russia’s much vaunted Black Sea Fleet is little more than a coastal defense flotilla,” said Wallace.
He noted that at the peak of its offensive in March, Russia occupied about 27% of Ukrainian territory, while currently holding on to only 18%.
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