Russia has lost more than 4.000 tanks since the start of the war in Ukraine in 2022, US General Christopher Cavoli said today during a Senate hearing.
Russia launched an invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, hoping for a quick victory. However, Ukrainian resistance turned the conflict into a long and grueling war, during which Russia suffered heavy human and material losses.
"The Russians have lost more than 4.000 tanks, which is almost the equivalent of American reserves. The scale of this conflict is simply staggering," said General Cavoli, commander of US forces in Europe.
The general was responding to a question in the Senate about the impact of a pause in US military aid to Ukraine, as well as a suspension of intelligence sharing, which was imposed in early March by President Donald Trump after a row at a meeting at the White House with his Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelensky.
"It is obvious that this would have a rapid and detrimental impact on their (Ukrainian) ability to fight," the US general said, adding that the Ukrainian military depends on Washington's help in destroying Russian missiles, as well as on its intelligence in locating Russian command posts and logistical targets for attack.
The US has provided tens of billions of dollars in military aid to Ukraine since the war began, but has not announced any new aid since Trump took office on January 20.
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