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Ukraine general says rift between civilian and military authorities is growing amid discontent over inability to defeat Russia
Ukraine general says rift between civilian and military authorities is growing amid discontent over inability to defeat Russia
Ukraine's quest for military strategies to counter Russia has encountered a significant hurdle: the growing rift between the armed forces and the government of President Volodymyr Zelensky.
General Viktor Nazarov, an adviser to former Ukrainian commander-in-chief Valery Zaluzhny, suggested in an interview with the New York Times that the gap between the country's military and civilian authorities has widened in the past year.
The Armed Forces of Ukraine is dealing with the dilemma of developing a "road map for victory," according to Nazarov. But this overall strategy can't be developed without essential information from the government regarding manpower, ammunition and military reserves.
Meanwhile, Kyiv is demanding that the armed forces provide strategic plans without specifying the critical resources needed for their execution. (Related: Former high-ranking official says Ukraine has 500K CASUALTIES, urges Zelensky to be transparent about losses.)
This lack of clarity, as highlighted by Nazarov, was a factor that the civilian authorities either failed to comprehend or chose to overlook when seeking military guidance. Nazarov's comments align with the sentiments expressed by his former superior, Valery Zaluzhny, before his dismissal.
Zaluzhny, in an opinion piece, criticized the "imperfections of the regulatory framework" and the partial monopolization of the national defense industry. He attributed these issues to production bottlenecks and an increased reliance on foreign arms shipments, further complicating Ukraine's military efforts.
Zaluzhny's observations back in November suggested that the conflict with Russia was at a "stalemate," an assessment criticized by Zelensky's government. Zaluzhny argued that both sides possessed technological capabilities enabling the monitoring of adversarial troops and making advances on the battlefield challenging, if not outright impossible.
"The challenge for our armed forces cannot be underestimated," said Zaluzhny in his opinion piece. "We already possess capabilities to eliminate the enemy and ensure the existence of our state. Our goal must be to seize the moment."
Ukraine has only reclaimed 54% of territory occupied by Russia since 2022
Ukraine has only reclaimed 54 percent of the territory occupied by Russia in its initial offensive two years ago. Russian troops, including pro-Russian separatist groups in Donetsk and Luhansk, still maintain control over 18 percent of Ukraine.
Despite Ukraine's 2023 offensive resulting in minor territorial gains, the frontlines have remained stable for almost a year. Both sides have entrenched themselves, making breakthroughs increasingly challenging, and the military casualty count has surged to an estimated half a million dead and wounded.
Continuing hostilities involve Russia using its superior air force to bombard Ukrainian military targets, while Ukraine has increasingly relied on its growing drone fleet to target Russian naval assets and infrastructure.
The conflict has also taken a heavy toll on the civilian population of Ukraine. The fighting, air strikes and artillery bombardments have caused nearly 22,000 civilian casualties.
The internally displaced population of Ukraine has risen to 5.1 million. Another 6.2 million have already fled Ukraine. The crisis has also caused 17.6 million people to be in dire need of humanitarian assistance.
Learn more about the state of the conflict in Ukraine at UkraineWitness.com.
Watch this video reporting on Russian President Vladimir Putin's warning of the rising possibility of nuclear war should the North Atlantic Treaty Organization send troops to the frontlines of Ukraine.
This video is from the Vampire Slayer channel on Brighteon.com.
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