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In a key development, the Russian Military is calling in reinforcements from across the country as it “struggles to continue its attack,” British Intelligence stated in its latest report. As the war nears the end of the third week, UK officials believe that the Russian troops are facing numerous challenges including unfavourable terrain, ‘personal losses,’ amongst others. Earlier this week, Ukrainian Defense Ministry claimed that they have killed nearly 7,000 Russian servicemen since the onset of the war. However, experts are of the opinion that numbers could be much higher.
Meanwhile, UK officials stated that in addition to facing the mass loss of manpower and ammunition, Russian forces are also struggling to overcome challenges posed by “Ukraine’s terrain.” As per the report, Russian troops have largely advanced via road networks, and with the demolition of bridges by Ukrainians, their land offensives are now stalled.
“Russia is increasingly seeking to generate additional troops to bolster and replace its personnel losses,” the report stated. “It is likely Russia is struggling to conduct offensive operations in the face of sustained Ukrainian resistance,” it added.
‘Private military companies, Syrians, and other mercenaries’
It further clarified that Russia was redeploying forces from as far away as “its Eastern Military District, Pacific Fleet and Armenia” and was increasingly tapping other sources of fighters such as “private military companies, Syrians, and other mercenaries.” Interestingly, Russians attacked Yarokiv Military Training Centre, claiming that it hosted “foreign mercenaries.” Meanwhile, the report also added that Russia’s continued attempts to control Ukrainian air space has failed, leading to “frustration” and “heavy losses” on invaders.
Marking the latest development in the ongoing Ukraine war, Russian troops have seized a hospital in the port city of Mariupol. Furthermore, they have taken about 500 people as hostages, according to the city’s regional leader Pavlo Kyrylenko. In a Telegram post on Wednesday, Kyrylenko said Russian soldiers drove nearly 400 people from nearby areas to the Regional Intensive Care Hospital where roughly 100 doctors and patients were already there. Meanwhile, a report by CNN revealed that over 3,000 cars transporting evacuees from besieged Mariupol arrive in Zaporizhzhia. Citing the head of the regional administration, Oleksandr Starukh, the report mentioned that there were 772 children amongst the refugees.
(Rep. Image: AP)
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