According to Wallace, Russia’s armed forces are struggling to increase their effectiveness in the offensive in eastern Ukraine, but they are depleted and the Russian economy is reeling under international sanctions.
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“Only President Putin can know where his off-ramp is going to be,” said Wallace.
“He’s got to reconcile that in the long run he’s lost. So whatever happens in Ukraine, let’s consider that Russia is a lesser country now than it was before this invasion.”
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He added as the Battle for Donbas has shown, Russian forces continue to rely on outmoded tactics. The invaders are using heavy, often inaccurate bombardment combined with the uncoordinated movement of ground troops, Wallace said.
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“They’re making a lot of mistakes, but their response is more barrage, more brutality, and more cannon fodder,” the Minister pointed out.
“Putin needs to fail in Ukraine. The consequences of him being successful, would be ripples that would be felt globally.”
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On May 11, Ukrainian Deputy Defence Minister Hanna Malyar said that Ukraine won the first phase of the war against Russia – the enemy failed to achieve any of its goals and had suffered huge losses. Now Russia’s offensive in Donbas is about two weeks behind Putin’s schedule, the Pentagon said.
