Pentagon Optimistic About Ukraine’s Advances

The Ukrainian counteroffensive launched this week has struck Russian invaders by surprise and is regaining occupied territories.

Ukraine’s large counteroffensive in southern Ukraine has already shown several demonstrable successes, including regaining a number of towns and villages that have been under Russian occupation for months.

During a press conference on Wednesday, American General Pat Ryder said that the Pentagon saw signs that the Ukrainian Armed Forces were making advances in southern Ukraine.

Ryder reflected that “Russia began its brutal war on Ukraine with an incredible edge in men and materiel. Ukraine’s will and resilience was such that the Ukrainian military drove Russia away from its attacks on the capital of Kyiv and brought Russian advances in the Donbas region in the eastern part of Ukraine to a standstill.”

According to the Pentagon, their latest analysis indicates that Ukraine’s advances in the south have been abetted by the United States’ continued support of Ukraine. On Wednesday, it was announced that the Americans had given Ukraine a number of harpoon missiles on mobile platforms. According to the Pentagon, Ukrainians had been trained on the advanced missile systems usage this past spring. Harpoon missiles have been one of the top weapons systems that Kyiv had been requesting from Washington.

Meanwhile, the Pentagon noted that Russia was seeking ammunition from the heavily sanctioned country of North Korea. According to the Pentagon, this gives a clear sign as to the current state of Russia’s supplies and logistics.

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The General indicated that tens of thousands of soldiers from Ukraine have received training from America’s military since the beginning of the war on February 24, 2022.

A statement from the Pentagon said that “The Ukraine military ditched the old Soviet style of tactics and began emulating the West, and that included building a competent and empowered non-commissioned officer corps.” One of the key aspects of the change from the Soviet model of military management to that of a NATO country is that Ukraine employs small units “led by sergeants that are making a difference on the battlefield. These units move faster and do more than the Russian enemies.”