Latest news with #RussianArmy
Newsweek
3 days ago
- Politics
- Newsweek
NATO Army Chief Sounds Alarm: 'The Threat Is Real'
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. The "threat is real" to NATO, the chief of the British Army has said, warning of "serious challenges" to the alliance as worries swirl that Russia could launch an attack on NATO in the next few years. "We really have got some serious challenges to deal with collectively," General Sir Roly Walker, the head of the British Army, said during an address at the U.K.-based think tank, the Royal United Services Institute (RUSI) on Wednesday. "The biggest challenge we face, of many, is simply a lack of time," Walker said, adding a "sense of urgency" is needed to "respond to the threats we face." NATO officials have been increasingly ringing alarm bells over how much of a threat Russia will pose to the alliance in the next few years, particularly after inking a possible ceasefire deal in Ukraine that would free up hundreds of thousands of soldiers bogged down along the frontlines. Assessments vary, but one judgment from Denmark's Defense Intelligence Service, published in February, said it believed Russia would be able to wage a "large-scale war" against NATO in the next five years if the U.S. declines to be involved. Soldiers in the Russian Army on Red Square in Moscow on May 9, 2025. Soldiers in the Russian Army on Red Square in Moscow on May 9, 2025. The Kremlin Moscow/picture-alliance/dpa/AP Images Oleh Ivashchenko, the head of Ukraine's foreign intelligence service, said earlier this week Russia would be able to mount some form of attack on Europe two to four years after the end of the Ukraine war—but could be ready to do so much quicker if sanctions are lifted. The more than three years of full-scale war in Ukraine has wreaked havoc on Moscow's land forces, but other swathes of its military, like its air force and much of the navy stationed away from Ukraine, have been largely unscathed. Recent satellite imagery has indicated Russia is building out its bases close to the Finnish border. The construction appears to be part of a longer-looking effort to expand Russian military facilities in spitting distance of NATO, The New York Times reported earlier this month. Military personnel in Finland say they are well aware of Russia's activity close to the border. Officials across the alliance have warned Russia is adept at hybrid warfare, a term that broadly refers to tactics designed to undermine or destabilize opponents but falling short of open conflict. In recent months, several undersea cables in the NATO-dominated Baltic Sea have been cut or damaged in one of the most high-profile sets of hybrid incidents. Some observers feel Russia is more likely to up its more covert attacks or use troops formerly fighting in Ukraine to bite off a small chunk of NATO, taste-testing how the alliance might respond. Spurred on by vociferous criticism from President Donald Trump's administration, NATO members across Europe have pledged to up defense spending, which fell at the end of the Cold War. Trump, ahead of his re-election, suggested he would encourage Russia to attack NATO members he deemed to be falling short of their contributions to the alliance. Trump officials have proposed that European members of NATO dedicate 5 percent of their GDP to defense, far above the previous alliance-wide target of 2 percent that is still not met by a handful of members. The U.S., while the most important player in NATO, does not itself spend 5 percent of its GDP on defense. European officials concede the U.S. has long requested the continent invest more in its own armed forces and widely see dramatic spikes in defense spending as necessary and overdue. The U.S., which has provided long-running security for much of Europe, has indicated will make plans to reduce America's military footprint in Europe in the coming months. "We got the memo," Walker added. "It took a couple of attempts, but we got it."
LBCI
4 days ago
- Politics
- LBCI
Russia accuses Ukraine of escalating air attacks to thwart peace talks
Moscow on Tuesday accused Kyiv of increasing air barrages with the aim of disrupting peace talks and said that its own massive assaults on Ukraine -- which killed 13 people at the weekend -- were a "response" to Ukrainian drone attacks on Russia. "Kyiv, with the support of some European countries, has taken a series of provocative steps to thwart negotiations initiated by Russia," Moscow's defense ministry said, adding that the Russian army was striking Ukraine "in response to mass Ukrainian drone attacks on Russian regions." AFP
Washington Post
4 days ago
- Politics
- Washington Post
Trump should build millions of cheap drones, not Golden Dome
The future of war has arrived in Ukraine. That country's defenders are able to hold back a Russian advance, even though the Russians have a manpower advantage of as much as 5-to-1 along some parts of the front line, largely by using drones. By some estimates, unmanned aerial systems are now inflicting 70 percent of all casualties on both sides, reducing traditional weapons such as tanks and artillery almost to irrelevance. The war has also ushered in the use of ground-based and sea-based drones — indeed, using the latter, Ukraine managed to defeat Russia's Black Sea Fleet.
Washington Post
5 days ago
- Washington Post
More than 200 Ukrainian POWs have died in Russian prisons. This is one soldier's story
KYIV, Ukraine — 'Everything will be all right.' Ukrainian soldier Serhii Hryhoriev said this so often during brief phone calls from the front that his wife and two daughters took it to heart. His younger daughter, Oksana, tattooed the phrase on her wrist as a talisman. Even after Hryhoriev was captured by the Russian army in 2022, his anxious family clung to the belief that he would ultimately be OK. After all, Russia is bound by international law to protect prisoners of war.
Telegraph
23-05-2025
- Politics
- Telegraph
Revealed: The three-step Russian tactic driving back Ukraine
Russia is deploying a military strategy known as the 'triple chokehold' to grind down Ukrainian troops, according to experts. Kyiv's forces are facing severe pressure on multiple fronts while Russia works to edge them towards exhaustion by integrating three combat elements into a cohesive strategy greater than the sum of its parts. Vladimir Putin's forces are launching ground assaults to pin troops down, followed by drone strikes to restrict movement, and then launching glide bombs to target offensive positions. There were early signs that Russia was deploying the tactic on the battlefield last year, The Telegraph was told – but Moscow's armies have significantly increased its use over the last two months along the front line. 'The whole Russian army is using the triangle strategy,' said Serhii Kuzan, the chairman of the Ukrainian Security and Cooperation Centre. 'We call it the strategy and war of exhaustion.' Since the beginning of this year, Russia has been plagued by a depletion of resources and numerous failed offensives. The country's military is said to be losing over 1,000 soldiers per day, while Ukrainian armed forces have hit 1,159 Russian tanks, and more than 2,500 armoured vehicles since the start of 2025. Heavy losses mean Russia is increasingly trying to press its key advantages over Ukraine – a steady supply of soldiers and an ability to quickly produce drones and glide bombs. These efforts are proving effective, with Russia's forces capturing close to 1,500 square miles of territory last year – its most significant gains since Putin launched his invasion in 2022. 'It's a very attritional mode of warfare,' explained Nick Reynolds, research fellow for land warfare at the Royal United Services Institute (RUSI). 'These three elements create conflicting imperatives for Ukrainian defenders.' The methodical approach begins with ground assaults fighting to pin down Ukrainian troops, forcing them into defensive positions and stalling their ability to manoeuvre. The continued assaults put heavy pressure on Ukrainian defences. 'By using huge numbers of people and sending them in assaults on Ukrainian positions, they are trying to exhaust our soldiers and our resources,' said Mr Kuzan. 'The intensity of the fighting in places like Pokrovsk is very high, with assaults every two hours. This is of course exhausting for our soldiers.' Next, drones are deployed to restrict Ukrainian mobility, conduct surveillance, target vulnerable points and disrupt troop movements. These drones include first person view (FPV) drones, which allow Russian forces to track Ukrainian positions in real time and quickly respond to any troop movements. 'Because of these drones, Ukraine is forced to man the front line with static defensive positions supported by extensive deception measures, for example, large-scale digging, to obscure where troops are actually concentrated,' said Mr Reynolds The third prong sees Russia deploy glide bombs to target key offensive positions from long distances, weakening Ukraine's ability to sustain operations. These long-range, precision-guided munitions target key Ukrainian positions, particularly artillery and defensive installations. 'This is where the real dilemma comes, or the really difficult one, to which there isn't really an answer,' said Mr Reynolds. 'Digging in and all those protective measures are excellent for reducing attrition by artillery or FPVs, yet glide bombs will destroy those fortifications and bury people.' The combination forces Ukrainian soldiers to choose between holding their positions – risking heavy casualties and resource exhaustion – or staying mobile, which increases their exposure to drone strikes and isolated attacks. 'What pins Ukrainian forces in place is the combined threat of Russian ground operations, artillery, and drones, especially FPV and tactical unmanned aerial vehicles,' added Mr Reynolds. Glide bombs have become the most critical element for this strategy, buoyed by Russia's ability to churn them out quickly. 'Rates of Russian production and employment of glide bombs and FPV drones has greatly increased as the war has gone on,' John Hardie, the deputy director of the Russia Program at the Foundation for Defence of Democracies, told The Telegraph. Russia plans to produce 75,000 glide bombs in 2025, averaging about 205 per day, according to RUSI, greatly increasing its ability to deploy the tactic. Ukraine has adapted to the triple chokehold by shifting to a dynamic defence strategy – constant repositioning and unpredictability, rather than holding fixed positions. It is using a combination of mines, various strike zones and traditional fire against Russian forces before they manage to search its undermanned infantry positions, according to Mr Hardie. Ukraine has also expanded strike-drone units that serve as a key force multiplier, and dramatically increased production of FPV drones and other unmanned systems. 'The Ukrainians have become very adept and innovative about countering all types of Russian attack,' said Hamish de Bretton-Gordon, a former British Army colonel and chemical weapons expert. The strategy has pushed Ukraine even further into a war of endurance. But as of yet, any gains are incremental for Russia, and the tactic has failed to result in any large-scale operational breakthroughs. 'Russia is fixing the Ukrainian forces but cannot manoeuvre to deliver a decisive blow,' said Mr de Bretton-Gordon. The issues for Russia of under-trained soldiers and a lack of armoured vehicles remain unsolved. Witnesses have reported the use of motorbikes and even e-scooters by Russian troops to push towards Ukrainian defensive lines. The glide bombs also have a significantly high failure rate. 'They have found it very difficult to concentrate force because this type of manoeuvre takes a lot of training and co-ordination,' said Mr de Bretton-Gordon. 'Most of the soldiers on the front line now are barely trained conscripts who can just attack in a straight line,' he added. 'Many cannot even clean their rifles properly.'
