Top US general says Ukraine war has become an ‘absolute catastrophe’ for Russia, estimating it’s suffered ‘significantly well over’ 100,000 casualties

• Milley on Friday stated Russia has suffered “considerably effectively over” 100,000 casualties in Ukraine.

• This marked a slight replace from a determine Milley provided in November.

• Milley urged Putin to finish the battle, saying it had grow to be an “absolute disaster” for Moscow.

Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Employees Gen. Mark Milley on Friday stated that Russia has “actually suffered quite a bit” in Ukraine and urged Russian President Vladimir Putin to finish the battle.

“The Russian casualties — final time I reported out on it publicly, I stated it was effectively over 100,000. I might say it is considerably effectively over 100,000 now,” Milley stated at a information convention alongside Protection Secretary Lloyd Austin in Germany, offering a slight replace on a determine the highest US basic provided in November.

Milley stated that the “large quantity of casualties” suffered by Russia included “common army, and likewise their mercenaries within the Wagner Group and different kind forces which are combating with the Russians.”

“Putin may finish this battle in the present day,” Milley stated, “It is turning into an absolute disaster for Russia.”

“Ukraine has additionally suffered tremendously,” Milley added. “You recognize that there is a vital quantity of harmless civilians which have been killed in a results of the Russian actions. The Russians are hitting civilian infrastructure. There is a vital quantity of financial harm, a big quantity of harm to the vitality infrastructure, and  the Ukrainian army has suffered a big quantity of casualties themselves.”

“This can be a very, very bloody battle, and there is vital casualties on each side,” Milley stated, happening to say that “eventually” negotiations should happen to convey the battle to a conclusion.

Russia has proven no indicators of taking steps to finish the battle, regardless of going through repeated, main setbacks. Ukraine has additionally warned that Russia seems to be getting ready for one more offensive, as Kyiv urges the West to offer extra weapons — notably tanks — presumably for its personal offensive push.

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However NATO international locations are at an deadlock on the problem of sending primary battle tanks, the German-made Leopard specifically, to Ukraine, and Western protection chiefs failed to come back to an settlement on the matter as they met at Ramstein Air Base in Germany on Friday.

The dialogue has largely centered round whether or not Germany is keen to ship Leopard 2 tanks to Ukraine or on the very least enable different European international locations who’ve the German-made tank of their inventories to offer them to Ukrainian forces. Germany would want to grant permission for the Leopard tanks to be exported by different international locations, and up to now, that hasn’t occurred.

In the meantime, the Biden administration is going through questions on whether or not it would ship M1 Abrams tanks to Ukraine. There have been indicators from Germany that it will not present Leopard tanks except the US sends M1s, however the Pentagon has pushed again on that whereas arguing that it doesn’t make sense to ship the Abrams to Ukraine as a result of the price is just too excessive and the coaching and upkeep is just too difficult.

Austin on Friday challenged the assertion that choices on the Abrams and Leopards are tied collectively. In an replace on the state of affairs although, he stated he had no bulletins to make relating to whether or not the US may change its stance on the M1 and famous that Germany, which he referred to as a “dependable ally,” has “not decided on Leopards.”

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