Widespread navy analyst Agil Rustamzade assesses the Russian military reserve’s fight effectiveness in an interview with NV.
“That is the second time this warfare has come to a scenario the place the troops have a sure steadiness. When each armies are unable to hold out large-scale offensive operations. That is additionally because of climate situations – this 12 months, the winter turned out to be heat, within the east of Ukraine the land is now limp, and that is the primary epicenter the place the preventing is happening. As well as, the Russian military is shedding its benefit in artillery, and your entire energy of the Russian navy is predicated on the widespread use of artillery. That is the spine of her firepower, and she or he is shedding that benefit. And if earlier the Ukrainian military had a qualitative superiority within the means of fireside affect, then we’re step by step coming to the conclusion that the Ukrainian military will quickly have a quantitative superiority. Now there was a steadiness, however there’s one “however”: if the Ukrainian navy has the flexibility to build up assets – combat-ready items provided with ammunition and weapons for offensive operations, then Russia doesn’t have such a possibility.
For the time being, the Ukrainian military, with the forces of three to 5 brigades, is able to perform tactical-level offensive operations for one to 2 weeks, however this isn’t sufficient. I imagine that one of many the explanation why Zelensky visited the US was as a result of Ukraine want a variety of weapons for a large-scale offensive within the south of the nation. Sources are wanted in order that at the least ten Ukrainian brigades can conduct fight operations for a month or two, and these are ammunition compositions, gasoline compositions, and all this have to be dropped at Ukraine. The method is underway, however to what extent you’ve gotten reached the extent the place you may already afford to begin these hostilities, I nonetheless have little proof to speak about it.
As for the Russian military, it has a reserve of 100 thousand individuals, which they haven’t but attracted, however they haven’t any artillery, and no navy gear for them. There aren’t any MLRS for them to make full-time armed items with all the mandatory assist. That’s, there’s a steadiness on the battlefield, however Ukraine’s potential to launch an offensive operation is increased than that of the Russian Federation.”