War of attrition: As casualties & debts mount, Russia plows full-speed ahead with ruthless offensive

moving on Moscow has issued orders to increase weapons and ammunition production this comes in the wake of the passing of the $61 billion of military aid by US President Joe Biden that's the famous package that was blocked uh in Congress for many months there are un investigations underway to confirm if North Korean arms have been used by Russia who already of course use Iranian shahad attack drones to strike Ukraine's cities so Russia already has a supply coming in and is now seeking to it seems almost double its spending on weapons and ammunition let's bring in now for analysis Jacob halron who's editor of the national interest magazine and from the Atlantic Council joining us live from Washington DC Jacob thanks for being with us um how do you read this news about Russia increasing production what do you see behind that well Mr Putin has decided to move in a totalitarian Direction and part of that is to put the entire Russian economy on a war footing and to greatly increase expenditures on armaments and neglect the economy the larger economy in the Russian standard of living and this is one of the things isn't it because yes there will be people who work in those sectors and they you know may may get bonuses they may earn money but on the whole as you just pointed out that takes a lot of cash away from the broader public doesn't it it does indeed and the Russian economy while it has managed to uh Prosper more than I think the Biden Administration initially predicted I think the chickens are coming home to roost for Russia over the next year or two as Russian debts continue to Mount And as more of the Russian resources are put into what is essentially a colossal waste of money are we essentially now then in in a Race Against Time because clearly the the money that was blocked in Congress by the Trump caucus let's call it that that's 6 1 billion of of military aid now coming to going to ke from from Washington that's going to happen but it doesn't mean overnight that ammunition is there does it it doesn't mean overnight the resources are there Russia too trying to now to boost their resources too it has it now basically become a Race Against Time to get the the troops armed to make progress on the battlefield definitely and you can see that the Russians are trying to go on the offensive as quickly as they can but the Russ that the ukrainians have been using these long-range missiles that they've acquired from the United States and other countries to Target Russia behind the lines I understand that the Russians are now back to losing a thousand or more men a day a thousand or more a day it is an absolutely astonishing figure um Lloyd Austin Jacob a few days ago uh talking about the US defense secretary um has called on countries that have um it sounds strange to say but spare Patriot missile systems to donate them to Ukraine um one wonders why this hasn't happened sooner and will that be enough it it's never enough but it's absolutely vital since Ukraine has been neglected for months particularly by the United States and the Russians have been systematically targeting the energy sector in Ukraine and definitely hurting the Ukrainian economy and the morale with the new Biden package I think Ukraine can reverse both the morale and its losses on the ground we've had this evening a strike uh by Ukraine on the power sector in the K region of Russia we've had a Russian strike on the Nova POA postal company uh which apparently has resulted in no casualties just a little update about what's happening because things are still carrying on as we're talking clearly um this situation of course let's go back to what Vladimir zeni was saying when NATO jumped uh to help Israel when Israel was being attacked by Iran um without talking about whe whether that was right or wrong seninsky was pointing out of course why can't the same favor be afforded to Ukraine should NATO do that no I think we do have to exercise some caution because we're talking about potentially becoming a meshed in a direct conflict with Russia that's the red line that Joe Biden is never going to cross but he has he keeps pushing more and more sending the long range missiles to Ukraine is a definitely a much more aggressive move than he was willing to comp contemplate previously that said though on the the Russian side of things there's evidence that for instance North Korean missiles May well have been used the UN investigated an incident back in January and um only just two days ago Odessa attacked by what seemed to be a cluster bomb clearly there there is one set of rules being observed by one side of of the the wall and a different set of rules on the other well as you know is Mr Putin is a dictator and he shrinks at nothing you you gasp at the Thousand number but he's willing to sacrifice as many bodies as he thinks is necessary in this meat grinder of a war I think that the Biden has managed to Rally NATO he's expanded NATO he's gotten the arms package through to through to Ukraine Mr Putin has stepped into an imbroglio that ultimately could still jeopardize his own rule on power Jacob hbr thank you very much for joining us here in France 24 we appreciate your time sir and we appreciate your analysis Jacob albron of the national interest magazine and of the Atlantic Council thank you once again for joining us thank you we of course will be watching for all developments on the situation uh in Ukraine next

Channel: FRANCE 24 English

Views: 55,946

Keywords: Europe, NATO, Russia, Ukraine, war

Id: -sz8eRHa7-c

Length: 5min 38sec (338 seconds)

Published: Wed May 01 2024